Synthesis and characterization of inorganic sorbents and their application to sorption of radionuclides

Abstract

Titanium silicates and iron oxides were synthesized. Their structural characteristics and sorption ability towards a number of radionuclides were studied using X-ray, Mössbauer, gamma, and alpha spectroscopy as well as the laboratory batch method. X-ray studies of synthesized titanium silicates revealed their amorphous structure. Mössbauer spectrometry showed typical spectra of nanocrystalline goethite, hematite, magnetite, and the mixture of hematite and magnetite. Approximate size of nanocrystalline minerals was determined and it was in the range from about 14 to 30 nm. Distribution coefficient (Kd) values obtained using the laboratory batch method ranged from 390 to 163000 ml/g for Sr, from 6 to 40470 ml/g for Cs, from 220 to 257000 ml/g for Pu, and from 50 to 16260 ml/g for Am.
Keywords: titanium silicates, iron oxides, sorption Cs, Sr, Pu, Am, distribution coefficient
PACS: 28.41.Kw, 82.33.-z, 82.80.Ej, 82.80.Ip