Fixed-bed column for the removal of cesium, strontium, and lead ions from aqueous solutions using brick kiln waste

ABSTRACT

Fixed-bed column was employed for the dismissal of strontium, cesium, and lead cations by the waste of brick kiln as a low-cost adsorbent. Brick kiln waste was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) & Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), and particle size analyzer. The column performance was 80.1%, 73.6%, and 68.5% for Pb^2+, Cs⁺, and Sr²⁺, respectively. Scale-up of continuous processes was studied by applying some kinetic column models. Exhausted bed was regenerated using 0.2 mol/L HNO₃ and multiple reused for further sorption which is necessary for the industrial applications and maintenance cost of the adsorption treatment plant. The process is simple, eco-efficient, and environmentally friendly.

KEYWORDS:

• Fixed-bed column
• brick kiln waste
• adsorption
• desorption
• radioactive waste

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr A.M. El-Dakroury, professor of chemical engineering, Radiation Protection and Safety Department, Hot Lab. Center, Atomic Energy Authority for her assistance by giving us the brick kiln waste material.

Supplementary material

Supplementary data can be accessed here.