Abstract Granular solids, particularly soil and like solids, containing mobile contaminants, as for example sorbed ionic species, are injected with a hardenable liquid, as for example a thermosetting resin, to fill the interstitial voids and enclose the individual particles. In an important specific embodiment, soil containing radioactive species and particularly soil containing 90Sr and 137Cs is injected with a thermosettable composition comprising a dicarboxylic acid anhydride partial ester mixed with a polymerizable monomer and, preferably, also a polyfunctional material such as polyepoxide, and allowed to polymerize with or without curing agents whereby the composition polymerizes around particles of the soil and immobilizes the radioactive material.
The method of claim 1 wherein the resin composition is the mixture of A and B and A is the reaction product of said dicarboxylic acid partial ester and an equivalent of a polyfunctional material selected from the group consisting of polyepoxides, polyisocyanates and polyamines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the resin composition is the mixture of A and B and R'' is -CH2CH2- or
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the composition is mixed with a curing agent and an accelerating agent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the curing agent is methylethyl ketone peroxide and the accelerating agent is cobalt naphthenate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the injection is made in substantially dry soil substantially free from water soluble salts and the resin composition is a partial ester of a 2-hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate and a dicarboxylic acid anhydride mixed with a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated compound.