U of S discovery may reduce nuclear energy risk [Video]

University of Saskatchewan researchers are looking for ways to improve the storage of nuclear waste, and they’ve made an important discovery that could reduce the risk associated with nuclear energy.

While nuclear energy holds potential, the two issues remain: how to prevent leaching into the environment, and the safe disposal of large amounts of nuclear waste.

“With nuclear energy, there are so many positives about it,” said Andrew Grosvenor, chemistry professor at the University of Saskatchewan, and supervisor of research.

“But the downside, of course, is we’re generating nuclear waste, and that needs to be stored in a safe and contained way so that it doesn’t leach out into the environment and impact the environment.”

University of Saskatchewan PhD student Mehrnaz Mikhchian has been testing different material compositions for storing high-level nuclear waste with the help of the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon.

“We wanted to examine the corrosion behaviour …