Investigations on Contaminated Soil and Construction Waste in Austria

In the course of decommissioning of former nuclear research installations in Austria, several types of waste were identified which require detailed examinations and the search for treatment processes, the materials include superficial soil, soil mixed with crushed concrete and barite gravel, a mixture of normal and heavy concrete contaminated with 90Sr, and activated barite concrete. On these materials, studies on the distribution of the radio nuclides in the grain size fractions and in the different mineral phases were carried out. Based on these data, preliminary conclusions for the treatment of the contaminated soil can be drawn. Soil washing seems so be a feasible process in order to minimize the portion of waste to be disposed as radioactive waste, according to Austrian regulations.