Electrokinetic removal of caesium from kaolin

Abstract

Soil, in the form of kaolin and a sample of natural soil from an industrial site, was artificially contaminated with caesium and subjected to electrokinetic treatment. The effect of catholyte pH control on the process was investigated using different acids to control the catholyte pH. During treatment the in situ pH distribution, the current flow, and the potential distribution were monitored. At the end of the treatment the pore fluid conductivity and the caesium concentration distribution was measured. The results of these experiments showed that for caesium contamination, catholyte pH control is essential in order to create a suitable environment throughout the soil to enable contaminant removal. It was found that the type of acid used to control the catholyte pH affected the rate of caesium removal (nitric, sulphuric, acetic and citric acids were tested). All of the acids tested were effective, but the highest caesium extraction was achieved when nitric acid was used to control the catholyte pH. The relatively high adsorption capacity of the soil for caesium was found to significantly reduce the rate of removal. After 240 h of treatment at 1 V cm −1 (using sulphuric acid to control the catholyte pH), less than 80% of the caesium was removed from a 30 cm long sample of kaolin. Electrokinetic treatment of the industrial soil sample was slower than for the kaolin, but a significant extraction rate for caesium was achieved.