Recontamination prevention technologies to prevent radioactive cesium from its runoff from not decontaminated forests to living areas

Nagasu, Ryosuke*; Tanabe, Daijiro*; Yokotsuka, Satoshi*; Kumazawa, Noriyuki*; Ajiki, Takaya*; Aizawa, Yusuke*; Naganawa, Hirochika  ; Nagano, Tetsushi  ; Yanase, Nobuyuki*; Mitamura, Hisayoshi*; Tabe, Tomoyasu*

A new technology to suppress cesium migration from forests has been developed collaboratively by Ibaraki University, Kumagai-gumi Co., Ltd. and its group company, Technos, and JAEA. The new technology utilizes polyelectrolytes (polymers with electric charges) and clay minerals to control Cs migration with the aid of natural forces such as rainfall and rainwater runoff. In Imitate-mura, Fukushima, verification tests of the new technology have been performed and its effect on controlling Cs migration from forests to grass farm adjoining the forests has been proven.