Separation Science and Technology, Vol.46, No.11, 1776-1787, 2011
Evaluation of Metal Antimonate Compounds for the Removal of Radiostrontium from Radioactive Liquid Waste: Characterization and Sorption Behavior
(90)Sr having moderate half life (t1/2 = 30 yr) is of major concern for radioactive waste management. Metal antimonate compounds have been employed for the removal of (90)Sr from low level liquid waste stream (LLW). Antimonate compounds of tin, manganese, and zirconium were synthesized and their composite materials were prepared by coating with polymethyl metha acrylate beads (PMMA). The composite materials were evaluated for the removal of radiostrontium. The Kd value of about 1800-2000 was observed for all the three metal antimonate composite materials. Effect of pH, salt concentration, temperature, and strontium ion concentration on Kd value was studied. The sorption behavior was examined with various sorption isotherms like Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich. The thermodynamic parameters for the three composite materials were evaluated. The sorption was observed to be spontaneous and endothermic in nature. From the practical utilization point of view, the rate of uptake of radiostrontium by the composite material was investigated. Weber Morris diffusion model of the uptake studies suggested an intraparticle diffusion mechanism. The kinetics was found to follow pseudo first order pattern with intraparticle diffusion. However, intraparticle diffusion is not the rate controlling step.
Keywords:low level radioactive liquid waste (LLW);metal antimonate;polymethyl metha acrylate;pseudo second order;sorption;Weber Morris first order