Utilisation of Chitin-Chitosan Biosorbents for Environmental Deactivation and Radioactive Waste Management

A new chitin-chitosan containing sorbent of fiber structure “Mycoton” has been developed as a result of joint efforts of Ukrainian and Russian scientists. The main features of the material are: large specific area (more than 100 m2/g); low ash content (less than 1%); efficient absorption potential of practically all long-lived fission products, uranium and transuranium elements; efficient absorption potential of many heavy metals; possibility to synthesize a great number of variants and composites; the ability to form paper-like material and to prepare filtering devices; low production costs and practically unlimited ressources. The properties of some Mycoton absorbers were studied towards U and trans-U elements (U, Pu, Am, Cm), main long-lived fission products (Sr, Cs, Ce, Eu) and some heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cr, Cd, Bi). The effect of pH, the influence of some acids and alkali metal salts, the absorption kinetics and the exchange capacity were investigated. Examples of possible Mycoton applications are given, such as water decontamination, liquid radioactive waste (RW) treatment as well as soil sediment and slurry cleaning by ferromagnetic derivatives.