Decontamination of Cs from Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) via kraft cooking

• Published in: Journal of wood science 2017-08, Vol.63 (4), p.388-395
• Main Authors: Wang, Wei, Matsushita, Yasuyuki, Aoki, Dan, Fukushima, Kazuhiko, Tomioka, Rie, Iizuka, Kazuya, Takenaka, Chisato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidification; Aqueous solutions; Bark; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Black liquor; Cedar; Cesium 133; Cesium 137; Cesium isotopes; Cesium radioisotopes; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Contamination; Cooking; Decontamination; Filtrate; Life Sciences; Liquor; Materials Science; Original Article; Pulp & paper industry; Pulp wastes; Pulping; Reaction products; Sodium hydroxide; Sodium sulfide; Water purification; Wood; Wood pulp; Wood Science & Technology
• ISSN: 1435-0211; 1611-4663
• DOI: 10.1007/s10086-017-1628-1

To investigate the possibility of decontaminating 137 Cs-contaminated Cryptomeria japonica wood, kraft pulping was conducted and the Cs behavior in the reaction process was examined. 133 Cs-treated or 137 Cs-contaminated bark, sapwood, and heartwood chips of Cryptomeria japonica were digested using an aqueous solution of NaOH and Na 2 S. The pulp was washed with ultrapure water and filtered, after which the filtrate (black liquor) was collected. The black liquor was acidified to separate the supernatant and precipitation. The Cs ( 133 Cs and 137 Cs) concentrations in the chip and reaction products were measured. As for wood samples, the majority of Cs was present in black liquor, while only a minor amount of Cs was retained in the pulp (