Towards a smart & integral treatment of natural radioactivity
in water provision services
LIFE ALCHEMIA addresses one of the current challenges of water for human consumption such as the presence of natural radioactivity. There is a considerable lack of knowledge by the actors involved and it can be stated that, despite the current legislation (Directive 2013/51/Euratom), radioactivity is not systematically monitored at European level. Indeed, this is an environmental problem that cannot be solved at source, as it is generated by the groundwater dilution of minerals rich in radioactive isotopes, mainly from uranium (U), radium (Ra) and thorium (Th) series. Therefore, new systems able to provide sustainable removal of radioactivity from a cost-effectiveness point of view are needed. Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most commonly treatment used for this application; however carbon footprint of this process is very high and generates large volumes of water rejection with radioactivity that needs further treatment. LIFE ALCHEMIA offers a breakthrough in this problem from two angles. First, with the use of removal systems based on bed filters, which will reduce up to five times the cost of the water purification. Moreover, the whole life cycle of the radioactivity will be considered, including the management of the waste generated.
Objectives
To demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of bed filters that will be optimized to remove radioactivity from water and to minimize the generation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) exceeding the exemption level …
Expected results
In quantitative terms, LIFE ALCHEMIA will lead to the following results: 4 filter-based pilot plants will provide removal rates of gross alpha and beta activity up to 90%, and reductions in the concentrations of specific radionuclides (U and Ra) between 75% and 90% …
Improving drinking water quality
Building a sustainable futureProject news
Latest activity in LIFE ALCHEMIA
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Third monitoring meeting of the LIFE ALCHEMIA project
The third monitoring meeting of the LIFE ALCHEMIA project was held last Wednesday, 27th May. All the project partners and the NEEMO-IDOM monitor (Borja Domínguez) met this time virtually (via Skype)...
4th Coordination Meeting in Viimsi (Estonia)
After the training seminar "Purification of Natural Radionuclides from Drinking Water and Management Options for NORM", the LIFE ALCHEMIA partners met on March 5th 2020 in Viimsi to hold the 4th...
Training Seminar in Viimsi (Estonia)
The training seminar "Purification of Natural Radionuclides of Dringking Water and Management Options of NORM" was held in Viimsi, Estonia, on March 3th and...
Technical meeting in TARTU
The project partners, Technical University of Tallinn, University of Tartu and Viimsi Vesi met last December 4 at the Institute of Physics of the University of Tartu, to address different points....
LIFE ALCHEMIA has participated in 8th meeting of the Nordic/Baltic Network for Water and Health
LIFE ALCHEMIA attended the 8th meeting of the Nordic/Baltic Network for Water and Health held in Riga (Latvia) on 12-13th December 2019. One of the objective of the network is to contribute to an...
LIFE ALCHEMIA has participated in the YWP 2019 Congress
LIFE ALCHEMIA has participated in the Young Water Professionals 2019 Congress held last week (12-15 November) in Madrid (Spain). This event was organized by AEAS (Spanish Association of Water Supply...
Environmental awareness
Some project figures
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%
NORM reduction genetared during the elimination of radioactivity
%
Cost reduction in water treatment
%
Alpha and beta radioactivity reduction in pilot plants
%
Environmental impact reduction
Participate with LIFE ALCHEMIA
Project evaluation online questionnaire and quick questionnaire about drinking water treatment plants (DWTP)
DWTP Database
Get access to our database of drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) that treat water with natural radioactivity in Europe