In a discovery that could fundamentally reshape the future of nuclear energy, researchers report that a unique microbe could reduce the hazardous timeline of radioactive waste from millennia to mere decades.
HELSINKI, Finland — Scientists at the University of Helsinki have identified a bacterium with an astonishing appetite: it consumes nuclear waste. This discovery, detailed in a 2024 report from Environmental Microbiology, promises a revolutionary solution to the most significant challenge of the nuclear age.
The microbe, Deinococcus radiodurans, was discovered thriving in the harsh environment of active uranium mines. It is an "extremophile," or a life-form that survives conditions lethal to most other organisms.
What makes D. radiodurans globally significant is its unprecedented ability to metabolize hazardous radioactive isotopes, breaking them down and converting them into stable, non-radioactive compounds.
In essence, it "eats" the radiation.
The bacterium survives this process by surviving radiation doses 3,000 times higher than the level lethal to humans. It achieves this through a hyper-efficient system that rapidly repairs any damage to its own DNA, allowing it to treat the radioactive material as a source of energy.
From 24,000 Years to 50
The implications for nuclear waste management are staggering.
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| A new study reveals the secret to the antioxidant that allows the bacteria Deinococcus radiodurans to withstand radiation doses 28,000 times greater than what would kill a human. |
Currently, the international standard for high-level waste such as plutonium isotopes from spent fuel rods is deep geological burial. This method involves sealing the waste in stable rock formations, like Finland's own Onkalo repository, with the understanding that it must remain isolated from the biosphere for tens of thousands of years. The half-life of Plutonium-239, for example, is 24,100 years.
This new bioremediation process, however, could dramatically shorten that timeline. The Helsinki study projects that by introducing the bacteria, the effective hazardous lifespan of the waste could be reduced from over 24,000 years to less than 50 years.
"We are witnessing a fundamental shift from passive containment to active, biological processing," a spokesperson for the research team stated. "Instead of just burying the problem, we may be able to end it."
Onkalo: The Ultimate Proving Ground
The discovery is not just a laboratory curiosity. Finland, a global leader in nuclear stewardship, is already preparing to test this bacterial solution at the Onkalo site.
The plan involves genetically engineering the microbes to optimize their "diet," targeting the most problematic fission products, such as cesium-137 and strontium-90. These engineered bacteria would then be introduced into the waste containment pools, allowing them to neutralize the material before final entombment.
This biological solution could make nuclear energy, a critical source of zero-carbon power, significantly safer and truly sustainable. By solving the long-term waste problem, this "atomic eater" from a Finnish mine may have just secured nuclear power's role in a climate-friendly future.