Cesium removal from drinking water using Prussian blue adsorption followed by anion exchange process

Abstract

Abstract Prussian blue (PB) was proposed to be an effective cesium (Cs) adsorbent for drinking waterwork; however, the release of PB fragments from PB adsorbent matrix poses threat to water quality. This study examined the feasibility of a PB+anion exchange (AE) process for decontamination of Cs-polluted drinking water. Two scenarios were tested: AE granules over PB granules in a stimulated sand filter and PB column followed by AE column in a full-scale waterworks. Both scenarios revealed complete removal of Cs and PB fragments from the treated drinking waters, suggesting that the PB+AE unit can be the core of emergency response plan for typical drinking waterworks at nuclear accident threat.