Electro-adsorption of Naturally Occurring Radionuclides (NORM) from wastewater of hydraulic fracturing with functionalized carbon aerogels as electrodes

Extraction of unconventional oil and natural gas by horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (HF) is a real alternative to worldwide oil and gas production to guarantee the energy independence as well as the transition from non-renewable to sustainable energy.

However, the large amount of wastewater generated, rich in natural toxic pollutants such as heavy metals, naturally occurring radionuclides (NORM), salts, etc.; concerns both stakeholder and public, especially from the radiological point of view.

At present, the water treatment methods available are not capable to remediate the radioactive contamination of HF wastewater (WW).

Nowadays, electro-adsorption is emerging as a powerful alternative to make more effective and sustainable the removal of pollutants, like heavy metals from WW.

The main reason is that electro-adsorption has shown excellent advantages like minimal water waste, low operation cost, environmental friendly, high-energy efficiency, high removal efficiency, among others.

However, little is known about removal of radionuclides by electro-adsorption, therefore, it is necessary to develop new electrodes increasing the adsorption surface, the pollutant selectivity, the stability, the regeneration as well as decreasing the resistance to ensure the removal of radionuclides.

In this context, the aim of ElectroNORM project is to develop novel functionalized carbon aerogel as electrodes for the removal and isolation of highradiotoxic naturally occurring radionuclides from HF-wastewater by electro-adsorption.