Material filters tritium from nuclear wastewater at record speed
Researchers in China have developed a new metal-organic framework material capable of filtering tritium from nuclear wastewater more efficiently than traditional distillation. This discovery could provide a practical solution for managing radioactive waste from sites like Fukushima.
Why it matters
Efficient tritium removal is a major challenge in nuclear waste management, and this technology could significantly reduce environmental risks.
In 2023, Japan began a decades-long and controversial process — it began releasing treated wastewater from the ruined Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The water had been filtered to remove most heavy radioactive elements, yet one particular contaminant remained : tritium.
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. When it bonds with oxygen, it forms tritiated water, or HTO. Because tritiated water is chemically almost identical to regular water, it is extremely difficult to separate the two. For many decades, officials in the global nuclear industry have opted to dilute tritiated water, i.e. mixing it in large quantities of regular water.
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