RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICAL FORMS OF CESIUM OR STRONTIUM AND THEIR BEHAVIOR IN A SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

 The nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant resulted in the release of radionuclides to the environment. Accident-derived radionuclides have been detected in sewage sludge produced in northern east of Japan. We observed the fate of stable Cs and Sr in sewage treatment process in order to know a fate of radionuclide such as ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, and ⁹⁰Sr in the process. For both of Cs and Sr, their transfer ratios to primary sludge from the influent sewage were similar levels of the ratios to excess activated sludge to the influent sewage. Transfer ratios to dewatered sludge from influent were 20% for Cs and 9.1% for Sr, respectively. Additionally, it was suggested that particulate Cs and Sr which were sorbed by mineral solids could be transferred to the primary sludge in the primary settling tank, then in the following treatment system; aeration tank, Sr sorbed by organic materials such as activated sludge could be transferred to the excessive sludge.