Methods of decontaminating soils containing hazardous substances

摘要

Soil including sand and clays contaminated with nuclear waste materials, elemental mercury or as mixed waste with hazardous organic compounds are decontaminated by treating with anhydrous liquid ammonia alone or with solvated electrons. Methods comprise concentrating radionuclides, such as plutonium and uranium in the fines of soil and clay to yield residual soil products which are sufficiently free of contaminants to allow reclamation. By concentrating nuclear wastes in soil fines space requirements ordinarily needed for storage of untreated soil and handling costs can be significantly reduced. Ammoniacal liquids, such as anhydrous liquid ammonia facilitates decontamination by breaking up soil into fine slurries for releasing droplets of mercury metal. The high density of the mercury permits precipitation with larger soil particles and for recovery from soil particulates.