Posted on 07/23/2004 11:48:30 AM PDT by LibWhacker
Porous structures, such as brick and concrete, are notoriously hard to clean when contaminated with certain types of radioactive materials. Researchers in Argonne 's Chemical Engineering Division are developing a new technique that can effectively decontaminate these structures in the event of exposure to radioactive elements.
Researchers are using engineered nanoparticles and a super-absorbent gel to design a clean-up system for buildings and monuments exposed to radioactive materials. Having this system available will allow the nation to be more prepared in case of a terrorist attack with a "dirty bomb" or other radioactive dispersal device. "If a radioactive device were activated in public, the primary concern would be widespread contamination," said Michael Kaminski, lead scientist of the project. "This contamination is particularly hard to remove in buildings made from brick or concrete, where the pores, or holes, in those materials make it easy for radioactive materials to become trapped."
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