Our Inorganic Media to Separate Radioisotopes from Water Streams

Our media have been used to treat contaminants in many types of projects: groundwater remediation, nuclear fuel pools and nuclear power plants.
 

Technology Proven Over Centuries

Based on ion exchange – a natural phenomenon that has been harnessed by scientists and engineers for over 150 years – Veolia Nuclear Solutions’ Ion Specific Media builds upon technologies and is proven to be effective for environmental remediation.

Our inorganic Ion Specific Media (ISM®) captures specific ions from contaminated water efficiently and economically. Ion exchange plays a crucial role in protecting the environment from nuclear waste, particularly ions found in contaminated water. 

A Molecular Filter

The greatest threat to human health and the surrounding environment are ions and isotopes with long half-lives, such as cesium-137, strontium-90, iodine-129, and technetium-99. We capture these hazards with Veolia’s Ion Specific Media through an ion exchange process.

Ion exchange materials can capture ions based on both their size and charge. Imagine a chain-link fence: The wires form a hole in which a single golf ball is perched. If a tennis ball were to hit the fence, it would displace the golf ball and stick within the links. Similarly, ions such as cesium act as the tennis ball during the ion exchange process, where they displace sodium and are captured within the exchange material.

Flexible and Efficient

Veolia Nuclear Solutions offers several classes of Ion Specific Media: zeolite-based, titanosilicate-based, phosphate-based and fully synthetic specialty media for difficult projects.