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Applied Sciences
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Radioactive Waste Treatment and Environment Recovery
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Radioactive Waste Treatment and Environment Recovery

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical and Molecular Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 849

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Letizia Cozzella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ENEA Centro Ricerche Casaccia, 00123 Rome, Italy
Interests: exfoliation process; quantitative; geometry; air phases; radiochemistry
Dr. G. A. Marzo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ente Per Le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e l'Ambiente, 00123 Rome, Italy
Interests: radioactive waste; nuclear; gamma spectrometry; neutron source

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Radioactive waste treatment and environment recovery is a special issue that delves into the most pressing challenges and innovative solutions in the field of radioactive waste management and environmental remediation. It provides an excellent opportunity for proposing contributions in three pivotal areas.

First, it examines advanced radiological characterization techniques that are essential for identifying the chemical and physical properties of waste derived from both facility operations and decommissioning projects, aiming to bring together researchers to publish articles for detailing the methodological challenges of accurately quantifying radionuclides in heterogeneous matrices, overcoming limitations such as accessibility issues, variable contamination levels, and the complexity of mixed waste streams. The second focal point of the issue that to be taken into account is the treatment and long-term stabilization of radioactive waste. As authors, you have the opportunity explore state-of-the-art approaches to immobilize hazardous materials in forms that are resistant to chemical and physical degradation over extended periods. With a focus on innovative treatment processes, researchers can present original treatment processes tailored to a variety of waste forms, emphasizing the importance of creating robust containment strategies to ensure environmental safety and public health. The Special Issue aims to summarize current experiences directing the optimization of treatment protocols to handle the diverse chemical compositions and physical characteristics of radioactive waste. The Special Issue is not only focused on theoretical advances, but also encourages the publication of contributions that highlight practical implementation challenges and opportunities for future research and policy making in radioactive waste management, building a robust framework for understanding and mitigating the multifaceted risks associated with radioactive materials. The Special Issue also offers the possibility to discuss the decommissioning of radiological facilities and the recovery of environments affected by radiological accidents. Original research on in-depth case studies illustrating remediation efforts and providing insights into the integration of safety protocols, monitoring systems, and sustainable recovery practices are welcome.

By bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives, this Special Issue offers valuable guidance for scientists, engineers, and policymakers dedicated to advancing radioactive waste treatment and achieving lasting environmental recovery.

Dr. Maria Letizia Cozzella
Dr. G. A. Marzo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • radiological characterization
  • radioactive waste treatment
  • decommissioning
  • environmental remediation
  • long-term stabilization
  • radionuclides quantifications
  • matrix treatments
  • radiochemical characterization

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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11 pages, 1430 KiB  
Article
Determination of Trace 55Fe and 63Ni in Steel Samples via Liquid Scintillation Counting
by Giada Gandolfo, Maria Letizia Cozzella, Tiziana Guarcini and Giuseppe Augusto Marzo
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(15), 8264; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15158264 - 25 Jul 2025
Abstract
In the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, activated steel often contains radionuclides such as 55Fe and 63Ni, which are categorized as hard-to-measure due to their emission of only low-energy beta particles or X-rays. In samples exhibiting very low radioactivity, close to background [...] Read more.
In the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, activated steel often contains radionuclides such as 55Fe and 63Ni, which are categorized as hard-to-measure due to their emission of only low-energy beta particles or X-rays. In samples exhibiting very low radioactivity, close to background levels, a large quantity of steel must undergo extensive physical and chemical processing to achieve the Minimum Detectable Activity Concentration (MDC) necessary for clearance, recycling, or reuse. Italian regulations set particularly stringent clearance levels for these radionuclides (1 Bq/g for both 55Fe and 63Ni), significantly lower than those specified in the EU Directive 2013/59 (1000 Bq/g for 55Fe and 100 Bq/g for 63Ni). Additionally, Italian authorities may enforce even stricter limits depending on specific circumstances. The analytical challenge is compounded by the presence of large amounts of non-radioactive Fe and Ni, which can cause color quenching, further extending analysis times. This study presents a reliable and optimized method for the quantitative determination of 55Fe and 63Ni in steel samples with activity levels approaching regulatory thresholds. The methodology was specifically developed and applied to steel from the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU) facility, under decommissioning by ENEA. The optimization process demonstrated that achieving the required MDCs necessitates acquisition times of approximately 5 days for 55Fe and 6 h for 63Ni, ensuring compliance with stringent regulatory requirements and supporting efficient laboratory workflows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radioactive Waste Treatment and Environment Recovery)
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Review

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29 pages, 3150 KiB  
Review
The Impact of Tritium in the Environment
by Viktor Dolin, Yevgenii Yakovlev, Salvatore Angelo Cancemi and Rosa Lo Frano
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 6664; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15126664 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 626
Abstract
Tritium is a radioisotope that is extremely mobile in the biosphere and that can be transferred to the environment and to humans mainly via tritium oxide or tritiated water. Moreover, as is widely known, it is extremely difficult to detect in the environment. [...] Read more.
Tritium is a radioisotope that is extremely mobile in the biosphere and that can be transferred to the environment and to humans mainly via tritium oxide or tritiated water. Moreover, as is widely known, it is extremely difficult to detect in the environment. In the last decade, many studies and research activities have been performed to fill the knowledge gap on this radionuclide, the amount of which is expected to be increasingly released into the environment from nuclear installations in the near future. Considering this and the fact that the biological and environmental effects produced by tritium have been examined mainly from a medical and detection monitoring point of view, it is considered important to propose in this study a review of the critical aspects of tritium from the environmental, engineering, and waste management points of view. Identifying sources and effects of tritium, tritium materials and wastes containing tritium in the environment is also fundamental for planning the specific and necessary actions required for an effective waste management approach under, e.g., disposal conditions. The critical analysis of the published recent studies has allowed to evaluate, for example, that the expected rate of tritium generation in a fusion reactor is four orders of magnitude higher than that of LWRs, and the environmental release from a fusion reactor is 1.4–2.2‱, which is twice as much as from a heavy water reactor and more than two orders of magnitude higher than from a LWRs. Furthermore, with reference to the waste management strategy, it is emphasized, e.g., that the condensation of moisture inside vaults and the interaction of H2O with the disposal body determine the formation of tritiated water, which is filtered through the concrete and eventually released into the environment. Consequently, in the selection of engineered barrier materials for repositories/disposal facilities, the use of a mixture of a framework and layered silicates is proposed to improve its absorption and filtering properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radioactive Waste Treatment and Environment Recovery)
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