Foodstuffs and their ingredients can be contaminated with radionuclides from both natural and anthropogenic sources. For example plants will concentrate uranium that occurs naturally in soil or is present due to the use of uranium-containing armor-piercing weapons. Nuclear fallout due to reactor accidents or atomic bombs can lead to milk contaminated with radioactive strontium isotopes. Calcium tungstate, tungstic acid, and tungsten oxide were discovered to react selectively with heavy metals and actinides, allowing their separation from beneficial metal ions. Reactions using bulk materials tend to be slow but can be accelerated by supporting the sorbents as nanoparticles on high-surface area support. In the case of calcium tungstate, this was accomplished by developing a single-source precursor. The tungsten oxide-based sorbents can be used to remove strontium from milk or calcium-containing food additives, can be used to purify water for drinking and agricultural purposes, and can prevent uptake of actinides by crops. Similarly, heavy metals can also be removed from foodstuffs and juices.

Sorbents for removal of radionuclides from water and foodstuffs

245th National Meeting (2013)

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