A Magnetic Carbon Sorbent for Radioactive Material from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Here we present the first report of a carbon-gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticle composite of mesoporous carbon, bearing COOH- and phenolic OH-functional groups on its surface, a remarkable and magnetically separable adsorbent, for the radioactive material emitted by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. Contaminated water and soil at a level of 1,739 Bq kg(-1) (Cs-134 and Cs-137 at 509 Bq kg(-1) and 1,230 Bq kg(-1), respectively) and 114,000 Bq kg(-1) (134Cs and 137Cs at 38,700 Bq kg(-1) and 75,300 Bq kg(-1), respectively) were decontaminated by 99% and 90% respectively with just one treatment carried out in Nihonmatsu city in Fukushima. Since this material is remarkably high performance, magnetically separable, and a readily applicable technology, it would reduce the environmental impact of the Fukushima accident if it were used.