Sorption of cations of heavy metals and radionuclides from the aqueous media by new synthetic zeolite-like sorbent

• Main Authors: A.S. Shilina, V.D. Bakhtin, S.B. Burukhin, S.R. Askhadullin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI) 2017-12-01
• Series: Nuclear Energy and Technology
• Subjects: Sorption; Adsorbent; Radionuclides; Cesium; Strontium; Sorption capacity; Heavy metals; Water treatment; Recycling
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452303817300936

Expensive conventional sorption materials are applied for implementing control and treatment of water media of nuclear atomic plants. New synthetic alumosilicate zeolite-like adsorbent capable to efficiently purify aqueous media both of NPPs and of other facilities of the nuclear industry objects is suggested. Such sorbent properties as thermal, radiation and chemical resistance allowing performing purification of hot aqueous media without their prior cooling down at NPPs are of particular importance. The sorbent is synthesized from inexpensive raw materials produced by the domestic industry using energy-efficient production methods within single technological process. The product thus obtained has high specific surface ∼1000 m2/g, high thermal and chemical resistance and withstands temperatures up to 650 °С with maintaining its physics-chemical and sorption properties, it is resistant to aggressive media, radiation doses from 5 to 10 MGy produce no effect on its structure and sorption capacity. The sorbent demonstrates high ability for sorption of cations of heavy metals and radionuclides. Sorption capacity amounts for Ni2+ to 140 mg/g, for Cu2+ to 160 mg/g, for Fe3+ to 560 mg/g, for Cr3+ to 110 mg/g, for Cs+ to 2000 mg/g and for Sr2+ to 226 mg/g. Purification factor for 137Сs from solutions of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) is equal to 2.6. Possible mechanism for spent sorbent utilization is to expose it during 2–3 h to temperatures from 700 to 800 °C. After that this material is highly compacted changing the bulk densities of from 0.2 g/cm3 to 2.5 g/cm3 and is vitrified with closure of pores. It is assumed that the new sorbent can be applied by all facilities within lifecycles of which complex water purification process is used.