Removal of radioactive cesium from contaminated water by whey protein amyloids-carbon hybrid filters

We report on the application of an innovative whey protein amyloids-carbon hybrid filter for the removal and disposal of the long-lived radioactive fission product Cs-137 from aqueous samples. Test experiments revealed a reduction of Cs-137 radioactivity by a factor of 340 compared to the initial solution, with an efficiency as high as 99.7%. The adsorption capacity of the membrane was explored by performing several cycles of filtration, indicating a potential retention of more than 115 MBq per gram of filtering material at the applied experimental conditions. These results pave the way for further investigations on the applicability of this filter material to other nuclear fission products.

Automated summary

The innovative whey protein amyloids-carbon hybrid filter successfully removed Cs-137 from aqueous samples with a reduction in radioactivity by a factor of 340 and an efficiency of 99.7%. The membrane demonstrated a potential retention of over 115 MBq per gram of filtering material, paving the way for further investigations on its applicability to other nuclear fission products.