Alkaline Waste Solutions Research Articles

A clean process for liquid-phase synthesis of α-PbO based on the selective leaching of lead sulfate from spent lead paste

In the recycling process of waste lead-acid battery paste, the traditional hydrometallurgical process of recovering α-PbO as a product presents the issues of the high concentration of alkali and the waste alkaline solution cannot be recycled. This study seeks a clean process for the liquid-phase synthesis of α-PbO based on the selective leaching of lead sulfate from spent lead paste. The pre-treated spent lead paste was initially leached with a sodium acetate solution to obtain a lead acetate solution. The leaching rate of PbSO4 in the leaching process was 99.87%. Metal impurities such as Fe and Ba could be removed. Then the lead acetate solution was mixed with NaOH particles to synthesize α-PbO. The purity of α-PbO obtained could be reached above 99.99% when the molar ratio of M(nOH-/Pb2+) was 3:1, the reaction temperature was 85 ℃, and the reaction time was 40 min. Meanwhile, a reaction pathway was also proposed in which β-PbO could be converted to α-PbO rapidly at low alkali concentrations. Furthermore, the recirculation process of the waste alkaline solution did not result in the accumulation of metal impurities and did not affect the purity of the α-PbO. The non-recyclable waste alkaline solution could be used to prepare sodium acetate solutions and sodium sulfate by-products. This study provides a feasible method for green recycling of spent lead paste.

Environmentally Friendly New Catalyst Using Waste Alkaline Solution from Aluminum Production for the Synthesis of Biodiesel in Aqueous Medium.

Red mud (RM) is composed of a waste alkaline solution (pH = 13.3) obtained from the production of alumina. It contains high concentrations of hematite (Fe2O3), goethite (FeOOH), gibbsite [Al(OH)3], a boehmite (AlOOH), anatase (Tetragonal-TiO2), rutile (Ditetragonal dipyramidal-TiO2), hydrogarnets [Ca3Al2(SiO4)3-x(OH)4x], quartz (SiO2), and perovskite (CaTiO3). It was shown to be an excellent catalytic mixture for biodiesel production. To demonstrate the value of RM, an environmentally friendly process of transesterification in aqueous medium using waste cooking oil (WCO), MeOH, and waste alkaline solution (WAS) obtained from aluminum production was proposed. Triglycerides of WCO reacted with MeOH at 60 °C to yield mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the presence of 0.019% (w/w) WAS/WCO using the WAS (0.204 mol L-1, predetermined by potentiometric titration) from aluminum production by the Bayer process. The use of the new catalyst (WAS) resulted in a high yield of the products (greater than 99% yield).

System analysis methods and resource-saving electromembrane technologies in creating a low-flow water system using of Tatarstan Republic energy facilities

THE PURPOSE. theoretical substantiation of resource-saving technologies and development of "terminal" electromembrane installations when creating a low-flow water use system for energy facilities of the Republic of Tatarstan.METHODS. In the work, the methods of system analysis were used and a mathematical model was developed to describe it. The description and technical characteristics of the developed devices and installations for testing the proposed technologies are presented.RESULTS. At Kazan CHPP-3, a technology was developed and a pilot electromembrane plant was installed for the disposal of blowdown water from the thermal desalination complex. As a result of the operation of the electromembrane unit, a transparent alkaline solution is formed with a pH of 13.86 and a concentration of OH ions of 2.7% (up to 4%). The content of salt components in the concentrate is 2% by weight. The resulting concentrated alkaline solution can be used in the cycle of the station for the regeneration of anion exchange filters of the 1st stage. The softened saline solution is fed to the heating network. The electromembrane plant processes 0.5 tons per hour of alkaline wastewater with a ratio of concentrated alkaline solution to softened brine of 1:9. The specific power consumption is 6 kWh per 1 ton of blowdown water. The operation of the plant is characterized by the complete absence of waste and bezreagnosti. At the ion-exchange water treatment plant of the Nizhnekamsk CHPP-1, a method was proposed, a technology was developed, and an experimental pilot plant was installed for processing alkaline spent regeneration solutions of anion-exchange filters. The electromembrane plant processes 1.5 tons per hour of alkaline waste. The capacity of the plant is 0.1 tons of 4% alkaline solution. Specific power consumption - 4 kWh per 1 ton of alkaline waste solutions. During the operation of the installation, there is a complete absence of waste with a reagent-free wastewater disposal process.CONCLUSION. The return of regenerated alkali solutions and softened water to the production cycle makes it possible to obtain a significant improvement in indicators that characterize environmental friendliness and resource saving without the use of chemical reagents.

Enhanced oil recovery in water-flooded and hard to recover reservoirs

The article is devoted to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by displacement of residual oil with chemical agents in hard to recover reservoirs. SOCAR Oil Refinery alkaline waste (AW) is used as chemical product for EOR in the researches. Researches were carried out on pure AW and its solutions in different densities. 10% solution of water with AW decreases interfacial tension from 27 mN/m to 1.0 mN/m. PH value respectively increases from 7.5 to 9.5. Then, the researches were performed in simulated reservoir model. Primarly, the interlayer was created from solutions with AW in different densities, and then the displacement was carried out. Final oil recovery rate was 0.453 during oil displacement without AW. This ratio was respectively 0.54, 0.571 and 0.573 during displacement of oil with 5%, 10%, 15% solutions of AW. EOR with AW solution was carried out in QLD4 horizon in Goshanohur area of Balakhany-Sabunchu-Ramana oil field. 2500 tons incremental oil was produced. Keywords: enhanced oil recovery; residual oil; oil displacement; oil field; well.

Device-Scale Modeling of a Photoelectrochemical Wastewater Nitrate Treatment Device: Effects of Competing Reactions and Effluent Stream Composition

Nitrate contaminants dominate low-level nuclear wastes and agricultural runoff streams; nitrates and ammonium are present in industrial effluent streams from fertilizer production1, iron/steel making and finishing2,3, coal mining4,5, and municipal wastewater streams6. Most conventional wastewater treatment plants use the biological nitrification-denitrification treatment processes in which microbes consume and metabolize the dissolved contaminants to eliminate nitrates present in wastewater7,8. However, biological processes are energy intensive and are not effective in effluent streams that harbor conditions unsuitable for microbial growth9–11. We previously proposed a solar-powered photoelectrochemical device to treat wastewater nitrates12 and determined that reducing wastewater nitrates to ammonia and nitrous oxide facilitated an improved scope for energy recovery as compared to the traditional electrochemical denitrification processes that convert nitrates to dinitrogen (Figure, left). In this study, a device-scale model transport and kinetic model was developed to specifically investigate the influences of competing redox reactions and the effluent stream composition on the overall performance of this device. Competing reactions of interest were hydrogen evolution reaction, hydrogen oxidation reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, and reactions resulting from other ions present in the considered waste stream (Figure, right). The different effluent stream compositions considered were alkaline waste solutions from nuclear processes and ion-exchange brines from ion-exchange water treatment applications. The developed model predicts various performance metrics including the rates of product formation, solar energy conversion efficiency, the time required to reduce the initial concentration of nitrates to 0.1 mM, which is on the order of magnitude of what the US Environmental Protection Agency has deemed safe for human consumption, and faradaic efficiencies to quantify the effects of competing reactions. Model results demonstrate that the hydrogen evolution reaction competes with the nitrate reduction reaction at the cathode. However, the extent of competition was dependent on the cathode electrocatalytic parameters, the initial waste stream composition, and the light-absorber bandgap that dictated the operating potential. It was also found that the oxygen reduction reaction and the hydrogen oxidation reaction have negligible effects on the solar energy conversion efficiency of the device.

Optimization of geopolymers based on natural zeolite clinoptilolite by calcination and use of aluminate activators

Natural zeolite clinoptilolite was calcined at different temperatures (700–1000 °C) in order to increase its reactivity as geopolymer precursor. The clinoptilolite structure was completely destructed at 900 °C and the material was called “metazeolite”. Geopolymer pastes were prepared with different SiO2/Al2O3 ratio by using silicate and aluminate activators, including alkaline waste solution from a Dutch aluminium anodizing industry. The prepared geopolymers were cured at 80 °C and were characterized by XRD, FTIR and SEM. The metazeolite based geopolymer activated with potassium silicate solution possessed the highest compressive strength (43 MPa ± 4 MPa). The silicate and hydroxide activated geopolymers showed relatively high shrinkage. On the other hand, by using aluminate solutions the shrinkage of geopolymers was significantly decreased. The aluminate activated geopolymer contained newly formed phillipsite and zeolite Na-P. However, there was no significant difference in geopolymer product when using chemical grade aluminate solutions and industrial waste aluminate solutions. The use of alkaline waste solutions is recommended because of economic and environmental benefits.

Evaluating Growth of Zeolites on Fly Ash in Hydro-Thermally Heated Low Alkaline Solution

Fly ash has been well established materials for synthesis of zeolites, under hydrothermally heated aqueous NaOH solution. Efficacy of such technique is reported to be improved when high molarity of NaOH is used. Consequently, highly alkaline waste solution, as by-product, is generally disposed of in the surrounding, which may contaminate the environment. In this context, less alkaline NaOH solution may become a safer option, which has not been tried in the past as per the literature. With this in view, the present study demonstrates effectiveness of the 0.5 M NaOH solution and critically monitors transition on the fly ash after hydrothermal treatment. As an enhancement over previous researchers, such activation of the fly ash finally results in remarkable morphological and mineralogical growth on the bulk material (the residue), which comprises of new nano-sized crystals (the zeolites Na-P1 and natrolite), after 24 h of activation of the fly ash.

Performance of surfactant modified zeolite/hydrous zirconium oxide as a multi-functional adsorbent

Surfactant modified zeolite from coal fly ash (SMZFA) was previously developed as a multi-functional adsorbent. But its ability to capture anionic pollutants depends on the type and composition of coal fly ash and the synthesis process of zeolite (ZFA), the precursor of SMZFA, produces waste alkaline solution. To tackle these problems, the composite of zeolite and hydrous zirconia (ZFA/HZ) was synthesized by neutralizing waste alkaline solution with zirconium salt and was then modified with the surfactant of hexadecyltrimethylammonium to develop a new type of multi-functional adsorbent, SMZFA/HZ. The obtained materials were evaluated for their performances to sequester multiple classes of pollutants from water. The target pollutants include cationic pollutant (ammonium), anionic pollutant (phosphate) and organic pollutants (humic acid and bisphenol A). Results showed that, when compared with ZFA, ZFA/HZ had 3 times higher adsorption capacity for phosphate, and more negative charges on both external (by 16.9%) and internal surfaces (by 12.3%). For both ZFA and ZFA/HZ, modification with surfactant reduced the capacity for uptake of ammonium by less than 10% and the reduction was trivial for phosphate. However, surfactant modification greatly augmented the adsorption performances for humic acid and bisphenol A. Compared with SMZFA, SMZFA/HZ was found to have higher potential for the retention of each pollutant and is thus a more excellent versatile adsorbent.

Sorption of uranium from alkaline waste onto radiation grafted phosphoryl-g-Teflon matrix

High energy 60Co γ-radiation was used to graft glycidylmethacrylate onto Teflon scrap through mutual radiation grafting technique. The epoxy ring of grafted polyGMA chains were later converted to U selective phosphoryl group, chemically. The grafted matrix was used as solid–liquid adsorbent of uranium from alkaline waste solution. More than 98% recovery of uranium from alkaline waste (~pH 8) solution was achieved. The effect of grafting extent on adsorption kinetics was also investigated. The selectivity of uranium extraction over other fission products was established. The uptake of other fission products was <5% for equilibration time of ~1 h.

Antioxidant and functional properties of protein hydrolysates obtained from squid pen chitosan extraction effluent.

Squid pens were subjected to alkali hydrolysis to extract chitin and chitosan. Proteins present in the alkaline extraction wastewater were recovered at pH 3, 4, 5 and 6, and were subjected to hydrolysis by trypsin, pepsin and a bacterial protease called HT for 1, 2, 4 and 24h. Hydrolysis of the extracted proteins with either trypsin or HT generated more antioxidant activity than hydrolysis with pepsin. Higher ACE-inhibitory activity was generated in the trypsin and pepsin hydrolysates than in the HT hydrolysate. Squid pen protein recovered from chitosan processing waste alkaline solution can be a potential source of bioactive peptides for addition to foods. The antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory activities of the extracted proteins were initially low and increased upon incubation with the proteases. Pepsin generated significantly lower (P<0.05) antioxidant activities compared to trypsin and HT, while trypsin and pepsin hydrolysates exhibited higher ACE-inhibitory activity than HT (P<0.05).

Perrhenate sorption kinetics in zerovalent iron in high pH and nitrate media

Technetium(Tc)-99 is one of major risk drivers in low level radioactive liquid waste at the U.S. Department of Energy sites. Cementitious waste technology (CWT) has been considered immobilizing pertechnetate, Tc(VII)O4−, in brine and alkaline waste solutions, as Tc(IV) oxides and/or sulfides with the use of reducing agents like slag. In this study, zero valent iron (ZVI) was evaluated as a potential reducing agent in CWT as a function of pH and [nitrate] (0–0.1M) using perrhenate, Re(VII)O4−, as an analogue for Tc(VII)O4−. Batch Re(VII)O4− sorption experiments in conjunction with X-ray absorption spectroscopic analysis showed that the Re(VII) sorption occurred via the reductive precipitation of Re(IV)O2(s) and the extent of sorption decreased with increasing pH from 8 to 10. Interestingly, pseudo 2nd order kinetic rates increased with increasing [nitrate] which was attributed to co-adsorption of NH4+ (i.e., a reaction product of reduced nitrate by ZVI), facilitating electrostatic attraction towards ReO4− under alkaline conditions. Considering the thermodynamically favorable reduction of Tc(VII) over Re(VII), ZVI might have potential for improving the reduction capacity of the current CWT.

Synthesis of zeolite/hydrous metal oxide composites from coal fly ash as efficient adsorbents for removal of methylene blue from water

Zeolites are useful crystalline aluminosilicate minerals, and zeolite synthesis from coal fly ash (ZFA) has been investigated widely to recycle solid waste. This synthesis process produces waste alkaline solution as a by-product. To date, research has focused mainly on ZFA synthesis and use; the problematic waste alkaline solution has rarely been addressed. In this study, we developed two composites of zeolite/hydrous iron oxide (ZFA/HIO) and zeolite/hydrous zirconia (ZFA/HZ) by adding, after zeolite synthesis, a step in which waste alkaline solutions are neutralized with an iron or zirconium salt. The composites were characterized by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, acid–base neutralizing ability, specific surface area and pore size distribution, and their performance as adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from water was investigated. MB adsorption by ZFA/HIO and ZFA/HZ was much higher than that by ZFA, and increased with increasing pH. This behavior was explained by the increased variable charge on the metal oxides. The adsorption was rapid, and nearly complete removal could be achieved at a sufficiently high dose. Material heating resulted in a decrease in pH and adsorption, but heating with pH adjustment could regenerate adsorbents for repeated use in MB removal. Zeolite/hydrous metal oxide synthesis from coal fly ash was environmentally friendly and products exhibit a high potential as reusable adsorbents for MB removal from water.

Effect of novel polysiloxane functionalized poly(AMPS-co-CEA) membranes for base recovery from alkaline waste solutions via diffusion dialysis

The corresponding poly(AMPS-co-CEA) based membrane which showed high base permeability and proper separation factor in alkali recovery via DD process.

Competitive incorporation of perrhenate and nitrate into sodalite.

Nuclear waste storage tanks at the Hanford site in southeastern Washington have released highly alkaline solutions, containing radioactive and other contaminants, into subsurface sediments. When this waste reacts with subsurface sediments, feldspathoid minerals (sodalite, cancrinite) can form, sequestering pertechnetate (99TcO4-) and other ions. This study investigates the potential for incorporation of perrhenate (ReO4-), a chemical surrogate for 99TcO4-, into mixed perrhenate/nitrate (ReO4-/NO3-) sodalite. Mixed-anion sodalites were hydrothermally synthesized in the laboratory from zeolite A in sodium hydroxide, nitrate, and perrhenate solutions at 90 °C for 24 h. The resulting solids were characterized by bulk chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) to determine the products' chemical composition, structure, morphology, and Re oxidation state. The XANES data indicated that nearly all rhenium (Re) was incorporated as Re(VII)O4-. The nonlinear increase of the unit cell parameter with ReO4-/NO3- ratios suggests formation of two separate sodalite phases in lieu of a mixed-anion sodalite. The results reveal that the sodalite cage is highly selective toward NO3- over ReO4-. Calculated enthalpy and Gibbs free energy of formation at 298 K for NO3- and ReO4-sodalite suggest that NO3- incorporation into the cage is favored over the incorporation of the larger ReO4-, due to the smaller ionic radius of NO3-. Based on these results, it is expected that NO3-, which is present at significantly higher concentrations in alkaline waste solutions than 99TcO4-, will be strongly preferred for incorporation into the sodalite cage.

Removal and recovery of phosphate from water by lanthanum hydroxide materials

Abstract The adsorption of phosphate from water by two lanthanum hydroxides (LHs), a commercial LH and a synthesized LH from waste alkaline solution, was investigated. The amorphous synthesized LH had higher specific surface area, and showed greater performance for phosphate adsorption than the crystalline commercial LH. The phosphate adsorption data agreed well with the Langmuir model with the calculated maximum capacity of 107.53 mg/g (dry weight) for synthesized LH and 55.56 mg/g (dry weight) for commercial LH, respectively. The affinity toward phosphate was high over a wide pH value range, from about 2.5 to 9.0 for commercial LH and from about 2.5 to 12.0 for synthesized LH, respectively. Release of La was negligible when pH > 4.0. FTIR measurements showed that the monodentate surface species of La-OPO 3 was formed via ligand exchange mechanism. In the coexistence of chloride, nitrate, sulfate and hydrogen carbonate anions, phosphate removal by LHs was only slightly affected. The uptake of phosphate (∼5 mg/L) from real effluent by LHs performs well at a dose of 1 kg/10m 3 , with the removal efficiency exceeding 99% for synthesized LH and 90% for commercial LH, respectively. The adsorbed phosphate could be successfully recovered by hydrothermal treatment in NaOH solution, and the regenerated LHs could be reused for phosphate removal.

Green synthesis of a novel hybrid sorbent of zeolite/lanthanum hydroxide and its application in the removal and recovery of phosphate from water

The traditional process of zeolite synthesis from coal fly ash produces large amount of waste alkaline solution, besides zeolite product. A novel hybrid sorbent, which was composed of zeolite and lanthanum hydroxide (La-ZFA), was produced by using soluble lanthanum chloride to react with waste alkaline solution after the traditional process. This study investigated the capability of phosphate removal by La-ZFA. The sorbent has a high phosphate removal capacity, with a sorption maximum of 71.94mg/g, according to the Langmuir model. The removal of phosphate by La-ZFA performs well at a wide pH range, reaching>95% from pH 2.5 to pH 10.5 when initial P concentration<100mg/L. Release of OH− during the interaction of phosphate with La-ZFA was observed. The formation of the monoclinic LaPO4 phase was identified by XRD analysis. The uptake of phosphate by La-ZFA was explained on the basis of the adsorption mechanism of the ligand exchange process. The sorbed phosphate could be recovered by hydrothermal treatment in 3M NaOH at 250°C, with a simultaneous regeneration of La-ZFA. Repeated sorption–desorption tests indicated that regenerated La-ZFA could be reused for phosphate removal. Therefore, synthesis of La-ZFA could impart additional function of phosphate removal to original zeolite, with the effective utilization of waste alkaline solution.

Synthesis of Zeolite/Aluminum Oxide Hydrate from Coal Fly Ash: A New Type of Adsorbent for Simultaneous Removal of Cationic and Anionic Pollutants

Since the first successful synthesis of zeolite from coal fly ash (ZFA) in 1985, the preparation and application of ZFA has been intensively investigated to recycle the solid waste. However, problems arising from the waste alkaline solution have rarely been addressed to date. This study initiated a novel method to synthesize ZFA/Al2O3 hybrid material by introducing a reaction step involving the neutralization of the waste alkaline solution with soluble Al salts into the traditional ZFA synthesis route. When compared with ZFA, ZFA/Al2O3 was found to have a significantly higher CEC. The increases of the BET surface area and phosphate-immobilization capacity were even more dramatic, with the former increasing by 2–4 times and the latter increasing by 2–3 times. The hybrid material had a significantly lower alkalinity than ZFA. The results also showed that the effluent from the production of the hybrid material could be much more environmentally friendly.

Bioprecipitation of uranium from alkaline waste solutions using recombinant Deinococcus radiodurans

Bioremediation of uranium (U) from alkaline waste solutions remains inadequately explored. We engineered the phoK gene (encoding a novel alkaline phosphatase, PhoK) from Sphingomonas sp. for overexpression in the radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. The recombinant strain thus obtained (Deino-PhoK) exhibited remarkably high alkaline phosphatase activity as evidenced by zymographic and enzyme activity assays. Deino-PhoK cells could efficiently precipitate uranium over a wide range of input U concentrations. At low uranyl concentrations (1mM), the strain precipitated >90% of uranium within 2h while a high loading capacity of around 10.7gU/g of dry weight of cells was achieved at 10mM U concentration. Uranium bioprecipitation by Deino-PhoK cells was not affected in the presence of Cs and Sr, commonly present in intermediate and low level liquid radioactive waste, or after exposure to very high doses of ionizing radiation. Transmission electron micrographs revealed the extracellular nature of bioprecipitated U, while X-ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis identified the precipitated uranyl phosphate species as chernikovite. When immobilized into calcium alginate beads, Deino-PhoK cells efficiently removed uranium, which remained trapped in beads, thus accomplishing physical separation of precipitated uranyl phosphate from solutions. The data demonstrate superior ability of Deino-PhoK, over earlier reported strains, in removal of uranium from alkaline solutions and its potential use in bioremediation of nuclear and other waste.

Influence of acidic and alkaline waste solution properties on uranium migration in subsurface sediments

This study shows that acidic and alkaline wastes co-disposed with uranium into subsurface sediments have significant impact on changes in uranium retardation, concentration, and mass during downward migration. For uranium co-disposal with acidic wastes, significant rapid (i.e., hours) carbonate and slow (i.e., 100 s of hours) clay dissolution resulted, releasing significant sediment-associated uranium, but the extent of uranium release and mobility change was controlled by the acid mass added relative to the sediment proton adsorption capacity. Mineral dissolution in acidic solutions (pH2) resulted in a rapid (<10 h) increase in aqueous carbonate (with Ca(2+), Mg(2+)) and phosphate and a slow (100 s of hours) increase in silica, Al(3+), and K(+), likely from 2:1 clay dissolution. Infiltration of uranium with a strong acid resulted in significant shallow uranium mineral dissolution and deeper uranium precipitation (likely as phosphates and carbonates) with downward uranium migration of three times greater mass at a faster velocity relative to uranium infiltration in pH neutral groundwater. In contrast, mineral dissolution in an alkaline environment (pH13) resulted in a rapid (<10h) increase in carbonate, followed by a slow (10 s to 100 s of hours) increase in silica concentration, likely from montmorillonite, muscovite, and kaolinite dissolution. Infiltration of uranium with a strong base resulted in not only uranium-silicate precipitation (presumed Na-boltwoodite) but also desorption of natural uranium on the sediment due to the high ionic strength solution, or 60% greater mass with greater retardation compared with groundwater. Overall, these results show that acidic or alkaline co-contaminant disposal with uranium can result in complex depth- and time-dependent changes in uranium dissolution/precipitation reactions and uranium sorption, which alter the uranium migration mass, concentration, and velocity.

Separation and Recovery of Cs from High Active Waste Simulant using Resorcinol Formaldehyde Polycondensate Resin: Batch and Column Studies

Resorcinol formaldehyde polycondensate resin has been extensively used for the separation of 137Cs from low and medium active alkaline waste solutions. The present study examines the suitability of the resin for separation of Cs from high active solutions. Batch uptake of Cs by RFPR has been evaluated from test solutions containing varying Na (0.6–3.0 M) and Cs (1.00 × 10−4 to 0.10 M) concentrations. Batch results have been used to establish Cs exchange isotherms of the resin and were found to follow Freundlich as well as Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm equations. The loading behavior of Cs on RFPR column has been evaluated by conducting five column runs using different Cs bearing solutions. Based on these results, it is concluded that the D-R equation can be used to predict saturated loading of Cs in the column. The saturation loading of Cs on 1 L bed was estimated to be as high as 13 g and 34 g from feed solution containing Cs concentration 2.57 × 10−4 and 4.30 × 10−3 mol/L respectively. Sequential elution of Na and Cs resulted in a high Cs bearing concentrate containing very low concentration of sodium. This study is relevant in the preparation of gamma source for radiation technology applications after immobilization of the concentrate in glass.