Drilling rigs were set up at Technical Area 21 to use the Nontraditional In Situ Vitrification technology. The technology use electrical energy to convert contaminated soil into an inert, environmentally benign glass-like block. Inset photo: a core sample from the "glass block" was created when the ground was melted. Numerous core samples were drilled to verify the consistency of the technology. Photos courtesy of Becky Coel-Roback, Remediation (RRES-R)
The Laboratory has begun the next phase of its Nontraditional In Situ Vitrification (NTISV) technology that underwent a successful demonstration at Material Disposal Area V at Technical Area 21 at the east end of DP Road and Trinity Drive in Los Alamos. The technology uses electrical energy to convert contaminated soil buried at the site into an inert, environmentally benign glass-like block.
The hot test coring phase of the NTISV project involves a sampling section of an inactive absorption bed that was heated in April 2000 to vitrify - convert the soil to a glass-like substance – in order to demonstrate an innovative technology for potential use in cleaning up similar sites at the Lab. The vitrified mass has now cooled to approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the low-level radionuclides present in the soil demonstration section of the absorption bed are now expected to be immobilized within the vitrified mass in a non-leachable state.
During this phase, workers will collect and core samples of the vitrified mass and analyze them for their mineralogical and chemical constituents. The samples will be collected using a drilling rig and a dust-suppression system to protect the public and workers from potential exposure to low-level radiation contamination during drilling activities. The samples will be submitted to an off-site contract laboratory for analysis and the data will be used to verify the effectiveness of the NTSIV technology.
Nontraditional In Situ Vitrification differs from traditional In situ vitrification technology in that it melts material from the bottom up instead of the top down. In situ vitrification technology has successfully been used at a number of contaminated sites over the past 20 years to stabilize a broad range of contaminants in various soil conditions.
The site once served as a disposal area for a now-closed facility that laundered radionuclide-contaminated garments. The facility had three discharge-absorption beds that accepted about 40 million gallons of waste from 1945 to 1961. The waste contained inorganic compounds and radionuclides, including americium, plutonium, uranium, strontium and tritium. The area was selected for the demonstration because of its variety of contaminants. The central section of the northernmost absorption bed, an area roughly 20 feet long, 30 feet wide and 22 feet deep, was vitrified in April 2000.
This demonstration is being conducted in accordance with the Laboratory's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action program which is regulated by the New Mexico Environment Department.
The Lab's Environmental Restoration (RRES-ER) Project prepared and submitted an interim measures plan to NMED in February 2000; the state agency approved the interim measures plan in April 2000.