Adsorption studies of Ce(III) and Zr(IV) from aqueous solution using clay and humic acid—clay materials

Abstract

Adsorption features onto clay and modified surface clay with humic acid (clay-HA) is investigated. Natural clay material and clay-HA composite were characterized using FTIR, TGA, and DTA. Performance adsorption for Ce(III) and Zr(IV) onto clay and clay-coated by HA are comparable. Adsorptive removal of 83.6 and 73.8% onto clay-HA for Ce and Zr, respectively, from aqueous solution, was carried out at pH 3. The results are revealed that the clay or clay-HA materials have an economic and a promising adsorbent for high potential decontamination of the minor lanthanides radioisotopes and Zr isotopes rather than Cs isotopes from nuclear site waste or environmental wastewater onto clay and clay-HA materials. This study concluded that the nature of clay material and modified clay-HA are capable of retention of radioisotopes and could be used as an effective barrier in the disposal, nuclear site to inhibit any leakage and/or migration of radioisotopes to the environment.

Keywords:

• Retention
• rare earth elements
• zircon mineral
• cesium
• removal of radioisotopes