Uranium adsorption from a liquid waste using thermally and chemically modified bentonite

Abstract

In this work, uranium adsorption from aqueous (waste) solution onto thermal and chemical modified bentonite (TCMB) has been studied. The relevant factors affecting uranium adsorption onto our TCMB adsorbent were studied. These factors involved contact time, initial uranium concentrations, pH, adsorption temperature, foreign ion and the effect adsorbent (TCMB) amount using synthetic solution. The theoretical capacity of TCMB adsorbent is about 29 mg/g TCMB. The optimum adsorption conditions were choiced. Uranium elution from the loaded TCMB adsorbent has been carried out using CH3COONa as an effective eluent. Uranium adsorption from Gattar liquid waste by TCMB adsorbent was carried out in columns. The low uranium adsorption efficiency (37.5 % of the theoretical capacity of TCMB) may be due to the adsorption competition between uranium and difference foreign ion present in the solution (as iron). More than 92 % of the loaded uranium amount on the TCMB adsorbent has been eluted using CH3COONa as an efficient eluent.