Sustainable Nuclear Waste Management: A Nano Materials Perspective

The use of nanomaterials in nuclear waste management is a revolutionary strategy to overcome enormous difficulties involved in the secure containment, isolation, and cleanup of radioactive waste. This chapter offers a thorough review of the cutting-edge uses of nanotechnology in the field of managing nuclear waste. Nanomaterials provide unmatched prospects to improve the effectiveness of conventional waste management systems by using their high surface area-to-volume ratios, adjustable reactivity, and multifunctional properties. The chapter focuses on current developments in nanomaterial design and synthesis customized for certain waste streams, exhibiting their excellent performance in encasing and stabilizing radioactive components. The chapter also includes the application of nanotechnology for the characterization and monitoring of nuclear sites. Researchers can now identify and monitor radioactive pollutants with utmost accuracy and sensitivity by using nano sensors and imaging methods, enabling expeditious action and risk reduction. Despite an enormous potential of nanomaterials in the treatment of nuclear waste, a number of difficulties and ethical issues need to be carefully considered. Toxicological risk assessment, impact on the environment and regulatory frameworks of using nanomaterials for nuclear waste management have been thoroughly examined, which provides insightful information. The chapter includes the futuristic usages and applications of nanomaterials for treating nuclear waste. In this chapter the main focus is on prospective research and development trends and multidisciplinary partnerships in the aforementioned field. Overall, this chapter offers a thorough investigation of the revolutionary impact that nanomaterials have on nuclear waste management. The nuclear industry is well-positioned to make considerable progress towards a safer and sustainable method of processing and minimizing the effects of nuclear waste by utilizing the special properties of nanomaterials.