The Hanford Site is now immobilizing radioactive waste in glass: a process known as vitrification. PNNL contributed 60 years of materials science expertise—and is providing operational support—to help the nation meet this cleanup milestone.

Seaweed could be a new source of critical minerals for electronics, vehicles, and buildings.

PNNL researchers continue to deliver high-quality, high-impact research on radioactive waste and nuclear materials management, earning “Papers of Note” and “Superior Paper” awards.

Researchers have developed the first coastal transport model for microplastics to understand how particles move in waterways and coastal currents.

This research helps predict how coastal forests will respond to future sea level changes which is crucial for protecting these ecosystems.

PNNL researchers showcased subsurface sampling and remediation expertise at the 2025 Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable.

The Coastal Observations, Mechanisms, and Predictions Across Systems and Scales: Field, Measurements, and Experiments project established a network of observational field sites across Chesapeake Bay and western Lake Erie.

Due to their inherent variability and complexity over space and time, scientists are challenged to understand the complex interactions among soil, vegetation, and water along coastal terrestrial-aquatic interfaces.

This study characterized above- and below-ground properties to explore the spatial heterogeneity of the terrestrial aquatic interface ecosystem within the Chesapeake Bay area and evaluate the major drivers of soil respiration.

RemPlex and IAEA convene international leaders to tackle recruitment and retention in complex environmental cleanup efforts.

This study evaluated the sensitivity of multiple geophysical methods to measure and evaluate the spatiotemporal variability of select soil properties across terrestrial–aquatic interfaces.

Researchers integrated field measurements, lab experiments, and model simulations to study oxygen consumption dynamics in soils along a coastal gradient.

This research explores how changes in groundwater levels affect the chemistry of underground water, especially in areas where land meets water, like wetlands.

The 2024 State of the Science Report on environmental effects of marine renewable energy research has been released.

The Delaware River Basin is projected to experience a regional increase in flood severity under future climate scenarios.

PNNL researchers earned five Papers of Note, 17 Superior Papers, and one poster award for their environmental remediation, radioactive waste, and nuclear energy-related presentations.

Dedication of the new hybrid-electric research vessel, the RV Resilience, was celebrated by laboratory, state and federal officials.

Frederick Day-Lewis, Lab Fellow and chief geophysicist at PNNL, was named the 2024 recipient of the Geological Society of America Public Service Award.

A sustainable ecosystem concept couples marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) with algae farming in a win-win scenario for the planet.

A PNNL Deep Vadose Zone Program publication that shows ferrihydrite helps protect groundwater is featured on the cover of ACS Earth and Space Chemistry.