Magnetite-ferrocyanide-copper sorbents for recovery of cesium ions from low-activity liquid radioactive waters

Abstract

The article is devoted to the development of nanoscale sorbents based on copper ferrocyanide and magnetites for the removal of cesium, strontium, and heavy metal ions in their simultaneous presence in a multicomponent two-phase low-level radioactive solution containing complexing agents and surfactants. It they noted that the highest values of cesium ion removal from low-level radioactive water - 99.96% and 99.62% - are obtained with sorbents based on 100% copper ferrocyanide and a mixture of copper ferrocyanide and industrial magnetite in a ratio of 2 to 1. The efficiency of the sorbents in terms of the distribution coefficient is 2394 and 1589.7 ml/g, which ensures the purification of radioactive water from trace concentrations of cesium ions to values of 2394 and 265.11. These sorbents provide water purification to values less than 2 Bq/cm3, which is typical for 1-4 classes of water quality in terms of radiation safety of groundwater and surface water as sources of centralised drinking water supply. It is noted that sorption of cesium ions on copper ferrocyanide and magnetite is carried out in the presence of water molecules and hydroxo groups. It is shown that artificial magnetite in its pure form exceeds the sorption capacity of industrial magnetite. This is due to the difference in the phase composition and particle size of the crystals. The results obtained will be use as components of the technological process in the Plasma-Sorb technology developed at the State Institution "The Institute of Environmental Geochemistry" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for the treatment of low- and intermediate-level radioactive water from Ukrainian nuclear power plants.