A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Pure and Sb-doped ZrO2 for removal of IO3− from radioactive waste solutions
Authors: Suorsa, Valtteri; Otaki, Miho; Virkanen, Juhani; Koivula, Risto
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication year: 2021
Journal: International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology
Volume: 19
Issue: 6
First page : 5155
Last page: 5166
ISSN: 1735-1472
eISSN: 1735-2630
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03487-9
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03487-9
Abstract
Radioactive I-129 with a long half-life (1.57 x 10(7) y) and high mobility is a serious radiohazard and one of the top risk radionuclides associated with its accidental and planned releases to nature. The complex speciation chemistry of iodine makes its removal a complicated task, and usually a single method is not able to remove all iodine species. Especially its oxidized form iodate (IO3-) lacks a selective and effective removal method. Here, the granular aggregates of hydrous zirconium oxides with and without antimony doping were tested for IO3- removal and the effects of contact time, competing anions in different concentrations and pH were examined. The materials showed high selectivity for IO3- (K-d over up to 50,000 ml/g) in the presence of competing ions and relatively fast uptake kinetics (eq. < 1 h). However, B(OH)(4)(-) and SO42-, as competing ions, lowered the iodate uptake significantly in basic and acidic solution, respectively. The suitability of the materials for practical applications was tested in a series of column experiments where the materials showed remarkably high apparent capacity for the IO3- uptake (3.2-3.5 mmol/g). Graphic abstract
Radioactive I-129 with a long half-life (1.57 x 10(7) y) and high mobility is a serious radiohazard and one of the top risk radionuclides associated with its accidental and planned releases to nature. The complex speciation chemistry of iodine makes its removal a complicated task, and usually a single method is not able to remove all iodine species. Especially its oxidized form iodate (IO3-) lacks a selective and effective removal method. Here, the granular aggregates of hydrous zirconium oxides with and without antimony doping were tested for IO3- removal and the effects of contact time, competing anions in different concentrations and pH were examined. The materials showed high selectivity for IO3- (K-d over up to 50,000 ml/g) in the presence of competing ions and relatively fast uptake kinetics (eq. < 1 h). However, B(OH)(4)(-) and SO42-, as competing ions, lowered the iodate uptake significantly in basic and acidic solution, respectively. The suitability of the materials for practical applications was tested in a series of column experiments where the materials showed remarkably high apparent capacity for the IO3- uptake (3.2-3.5 mmol/g). Graphic abstract
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