Re: Paul Harvey news

["Michael Mokrzycki" <Michael_Mokrzycki@ap.org>]

On a potentially related note, the February 1999 issue of Wired magazine
(it says February 3000 on the cover, don't be fooled) has an article
titled "Nuking Nukes" that reports the findings of Paul Brown, a physics
PhD from Boise, Idaho, saying radioactive waste can be rendered harmless
by being bombarded with ... radiation.

The article won't be available at http://www.wired.com until Feb. 23,
but here's a brief summary:

Brown has a patent pending for a method of blasting nuclear waste with
gamma rays, transforming the waste into compounds that become safe
within a few months, Wired reports. "It's textbook radiochemistry," Brown
is
quoted saying, but he says he couldn't find the idea proposed anywhere in
the
atomic literature.

The article cites certain "challenges" to Brown's approach. John
Schiffer, senior scientist and experimental nuclear physicist at Argonne
National Laboratories, says gamma rays would result in an enormous
amount of excess heat. And physicist Gary Doolen of Los Alamos National
Laboratories is quoted saying "It's also very expensive to generate
high-energy gamma rays." Brown, according to Wired, replies that the
excess heat could produce electricity to run the entire operation and
more, and that generating gamma rays can be done at far less expense
than other waste cleanup technologies.

The article says Brown has created a company named Nuclear Solutions
that soon will conduct tests at the University of Illinois or MIT.

I'm far from an expert on any of this -- just passing it along FYI.

Mike Mokrzycki





Kara Villamil <KARAV@BNLUX1.BNL.GOV> on 02/01/99 11:18:34 AM

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Radsafe members -

Yes, it's true, Brookhaven scientists have figured out a way to use citric
acid (orange juice's main acid) and natural bacteria to remove
radionuclides and metals from soil and other waste, then separate the
radionuclides from the other toxics. We put out a press release, which you
can find at
http://www.pubaf.bnl.gov/pr/bnlpr123098.html if you want more info. The
lead scientist, AJ Francis, can be reached at francis1@bnl.gov. It's a
patented process that's been tested on many kinds of soil, etc. and
commercialization options are now being explored.

I wasn't aware that Paul Harvey had picked up on this! I'll see if I can
get a transcript and post it. Our press release went out Dec. 30, but
sometimes it's amazing to see how news travels.

Kara Villamil
BNL Media & Communications
(and Radsafe lurker)

p.s. if you want to reply to me directly, please send it to karav@bnl.gov.
I have to update my mail address so the one listed on this message is
incorrect...


>Group, riding in today my car pool's driver had the radio on a station
>that get's Paul Harvey's news.  He said that "Scientists" had discovered
>a way to neutralize the soil arround contaminated National Labs.  The
>wonder material "orange juice".  I'm not kidding!  Mear the end he said
>something about restoring fertility to poisened soil.
>
>Words fail me.  I wish I could remember the exact words.  If' I'd had any
>idea I would have taped it.
>
>Perhaps somebody can obtain a transcript.
>
>Any opinions are of course soley mine.
>Peter G. Vernig VA Medical Center Denver
>vernig.peter@forum.va.gov
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