[ RadSafe ] Publication : BioremediationofRadionuclides:EmergingTechnologies

Mon Oct 1 11:15:18 CDT 2007

Absolutely.  Demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt.  Shown time and time again.  There is no question at all in well informed minds that plants, bacteria, and probably fungus and yeast can be used to change the chemical properties of elements, including metals, to make them less soluble and/or less available for uptake.  I agree with this point.

That is not, however, what the authors appear to be saying.  They talk about detoxification of radioactive waste.  By specifying "radioactive" waste, and not saying "hazardous" waste, the implication is clear (at least to me) that they are claiming that their discussed process addresses the radioactive risk associate with the waste (though I, like most others here, would not use "toxic" in connection with radiation).  If they are discussing only decreasing the chemical toxicity, then they should say so, and acknowledge that other than uranium the radiological health risk from most radioactive isotopes is much higher than the chemical risk.  But they made no such clarification in any of the material I read.

The other glaring weaknesses in this abstract is the authors claim that there is no technology that reliably contains radioactive waste and the related conflating of waste site and contaminated site.  It is, in fact, not particularly difficult to isolate most radioactive material from the environment long enough for it to decay below a level of interest (with obvious long lived exceptions). 

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf Of Wright, Will (CDPH-PSB)
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 11:01 AM
To: Colette Tremblay; Brennan, Mike (DOH); John Jacobus; radsafe; know_nukes at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Publication : BioremediationofRadionuclides:EmergingTechnologies

Depending on the metal and the proposed method of detoxification reduction and oxidation can be of use. Reducing Hg mobilizes this metal where as reducing some higher valence state metals such as cr6 to cr3 immobilizes this metal. So for cr6 contaminated H20 a good method would be to reduce or for Hg reduce it to methylHg; in one case volatility and the other precipitation.  Oxidation is also very effective for some metals in that at the proper pH oxides/hydroxides are insoluble. In either case removal from soil or water can be facilitated with the appropriate conversion. Much of this can be accomplished with unengineered organisms in that this is part of normal respiration for some organisms. To combine these attributes into one organism for the organics would require engineering depending on the growth requirements for the two organisms, again depending on the objectives with regard to process. Microbes have a variety of attributes that include accumulation and concentration (leptothrix)that could be of use at contaminated waste sites(water and soil). Once either is accomplished it is feasible to detoxify the medium.

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf Of Colette Tremblay
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 7:16 AM
To: Brennan, Mike (DOH); John Jacobus; radsafe; know_nukes at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Publication : Bioremediation ofRadionuclides:EmergingTechnologies

Hi:

What I understand about the paper is a potential use of metal-reducing bacteria to reduce soluble forms of radio-isotopes into insoluble forms. 

Colette

---
Colette Tremblay
Spécialiste en radioprotection
Service de sécurité et prévention
Université Laval

Pavillon Ernest-Lemieux, bureau 2527
2325, Rue de la Vie-Étudiante
Québec QC Canada  G1V 0B1

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Télécopie: (418) 656-5617

Colette.Tremblay at ssp.ulaval.ca
www.ssp.ulaval.ca/sgc/radioprotection
-- 

Message relatif à la confidentialité:
http://www.rec.ulaval.ca/lce/securite/confidentialite.htm

-----Message d'origine-----
De : radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] De la part de Brennan, Mike (DOH) Envoyé : 25 septembre 2007 14:23 À : John Jacobus; radsafe; know_nukes at yahoogroups.com Objet : RE: [ RadSafe ] Publication : Bioremediation of Radionuclides:EmergingTechnologies

Hi, John.

>From the following passage:

"Currently, no efficient technology is available that can store the radioactive wastes with adequate safety. Therefore, bioremediation of radionuclides/radioactive waste is an unavoidable necessity that has been tried using biotransformation, bioaccumulation, biosorption, biostimulation, and bioaugmentaion, with limited success. Genetic engineering has been implemented to develop an organism that can effectively detoxify radionuclides along with other organic pollutants present as co-contaminants in the radioactive waste sites."

I have to conclude that the authors are being very, very sloppy with their phrasing, or they are saying that genetically engineered organisms can be made that would remove the risk, "detoxify" radionuclides.  There are few radioisotope in which the chemical toxicity is a greater risk than the radiological effects (uranium-238 is the only one that comes readily to mind, though there probably are a few others).  Additionally, if they are talking about remediation of a site contaminated with mixed waste they should say that, and not repeatedly say radioactive waste site.  Their use of the word "store" in connection with "radioactive waste" certainly implies that they are talking about sites where radioactive waste has been intentionally placed.  Some of these indeed have contamination issues that need remediation.  But there is nothing that I am aware of that can be done with living organisms that will "detoxify" radioactive materials.  Concentrate them to make clean up easier; yes (though this actually makes it more "toxic", in that the activity per volume is higher and the radioactive material is more readily available to be eaten by other organisms).  Alter the chemical form of the isotopes; yes.  Speed up the breakdown of some toxic co-contaminates; indeed yes.  If any of those are what they meant, then that is what they should have said.  

-----Original Message-----
From: John Jacobus [mailto:crispy_bird at yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:20 AM
To: Brennan, Mike (DOH); radsafe; know_nukes at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Publication : Bioremediation of Radionuclides:
EmergingTechnologies

Mike,
I did not see anything about conversion of radionuclides to stable nuclides.  I believe it is about remediation of mixed waste sites.

--- "Brennan, Mike  (DOH)" <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV>
wrote:

> I find the abstract and the introduction at the linked site 
> distressing.
> They are full of incorrect statements of the problems and implied 
> solutions that seem to defy some well demonstrated physical 
> properties.
> 
> "There are multiple radioactive waste dumping sites, that, if exposed 
> to the general population, may cause serious life-threatening 
> disorders."
> 
> Not exposing the general population to waste is the entire concept 
> behind waste control measure in every field, including hazardous 
> wastes, medical wastes, industrial wastes, municipal wastes, dead 
> bodies, and sewage.  Indeed, taken as a waste that is actually, at 
> this moment, shortening the lives of members of the general public, 
> radioactive waste may well be last on this list.  If you postulate the

> worst accident possible from a radioactive waste site you still won't 
> come close to what happens fairly frequently around the world when 
> drinking water gets contaminated with sewage.  Industrial waste 
> disposed of into the air and water are at this moment causing "serious

> life-threatening disorders" to millions, and will kill thousands this 
> year.  I am not saying that radioactive waste should be treated in a 
> careless manner, but get your priorities straight.
> 
> "Currently, no efficient technology is available that can store the 
> radioactive wastes with adequate safety."
> 
> Stockyard waste.  Efficient safe storage or disposal of radioactive 
> waste isn't even particularly difficult, though you have to pay 
> attention to what you are doing.  The problems are political, not 
> technical.
> 
> "Therefore, bioremediation of
> radionuclides/radioactive waste is an
> unavoidable necessity that has been tried using biotransformation, 
> bioaccumulation, biosorption, biostimulation, and bioaugmentaion, with

> limited success. Genetic engineering has been implemented to develop 
> an organism that can effectively detoxify radionuclides along with 
> other organic pollutants present as co-contaminants in the radioactive

> waste sites."
> 
> If this is discussing bio applications that make cleaning up 
> contamination easier (NOTE: "waste site" and "contaminated site" are 
> not synonymous), cool.  If this is talking about biologic processes 
> that convert radioactive isotopes into stable isotopes or changes the 
> rate of decay, then I must have missed a memo.  Last I heard there 
> wasn't even a theoretical basis for something like that.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl
> [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
> Behalf Of John Jacobus
> Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 7:57 AM
> To: radsafe; know_nukes at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Publication : Bioremediation of
> Radionuclides:
> EmergingTechnologies
> 
> >From another list server
> 
> OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology Bioremediation of
> Radionuclides: Emerging Technologies
> -------------------------
> 
> To cite this paper:
> Raj Kumar, Sompal Singh, Om V. Singh. OMICS: A Journal of Integrative 
> Biology. 2007, 11(3): 295-304.
> 
> 

+++++++++++++++++++
"If you guard your toothbrushes and diamonds with equal zeal, you'll probably lose fewer toothbrushes and more diamonds."
- Former national security advised McGeorge Bundy
-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com

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