文摘
In May 1998, a radioactive source hidden in a scrap heap was accidentally melted in the oven of a steel factory located in the SE of Spain. The contaminated ashes were inertisized and admixed as fill materials for the remediation of phosphogypsum piles generated in the manufacturing of fertilizers. A Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) was installed to prevent 137Cs leakages into the groundwater. The design of the barrier consisted of a treatment zone filled with a mixture of clay (illite) and wood chippings. Periodical sampling campaigns have been performed from 2009 to present. The aim of this work is to evaluate the efficiency of a clay permeable reactive barrier for the removal of 137Cs from groundwater after 5 years of operation. 137Cs activity in the contaminated area is slightly higher than in the reactive zone but in any case, reaches the limit of potability (104 Bq/m3), what seems to confirm the adequate performance of the barrier and a sufficient removal efficiency of the permeable reactive barrier for the case studied.