Can a volcanic eruption turn into a precious resource for the protection of human health and the environment? This is what a team of scientists from the Ateneo de Manila University and the campus of the National University of the Philippines – Mall of Asia demonstrated, who developed geopolymer mortar blocks capable of blocking ionizing rays, made using volcanic ash from Taal.
The project, led by researchers Floyd Rey Plando, Myris Supnad and Joel Maquiling, was born from the need to find cheaper, sustainable and less polluting alternatives to traditional materials used for radiation shielding, such as lead and concrete. These new blocks could have critical applications in hospitals, nuclear power plants and industrial plants, helping to reduce human exposure to gamma rays and X-rays.
From destructive eruption to resource
The idea behind this innovation comes from the eruption of the Taal volcano in 2020, which covered entire areas of the island of Luzon with tons of volcanic ash. These residues, made up of microscopic fragments of glass and rock, are abrasive, corrosive and potentially dangerous to health and the environment. Disposing of them represents a serious environmental problem.
But precisely in this difficulty the researchers found an opportunity. They collected the ashes and transformed them into high-density geopolymeric material, capable of absorbing ionizing radiation, thus offering a sustainable solution to two problems at once: volcanic waste management and radiation shielding.
The reason these mortar blocks work so well is in their composition. The ashes of Taal are particularly rich in minerals containing iron, an element which, according to Floyd Rey Plando, “has a greater ability to interact with radiation, thanks to its high electronic density and compact atomic structure”.
Iron, in fact, is a heavy metal that blocks X-rays and gamma rays more effectively than lighter materials. This makes TVA (Taal Volcano Ash), as scientists call it, an ideal component for creating protective but natural building materials, without the need for highly toxic lead.
The team has already declared its intention to continue studies to improve the resistance and durability of these geopolymeric blocks, in the hope of soon seeing them used in hospital, industrial and even civil construction.
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