THE EFFECT OF ION-EXCHANGE PROPERTIES OF ZIRCONIUM PILLARED VERMICULITE ON SORPTION OF RADIOACTIVE STRONTIUM

摘要

Batch studies of sorption of strontium from the groundwater around the Kalpakkamrnwaste disposal site have been studied. Zirconium Pillared Vermiculite was prepared by intercalation ofrnzirconium oxychloride cation followed by calcination at 2500C for two hours. The percentage sorption ofrnstrontium increased with an increase in pH of the aqueous solution up to pH 4, at which point saturationrnwas attained. The presence of ions such as Na+, K+, and Ca~(2+) decreases the sorption of strontium in bothrnpillared and parent vermiculites. Sorption of strontium was not favored when the concentration of additivesrnin the liquid phase exceeded 0.1 M. Though the capacities of both the pillared and the parent vermiculitesrnto sorb strontium were nearly the same (32 mg/g), the rate of sorption and the distribution ofrnstrontium on Zr-Vermi were much higher.