Radiocesium adsorption by zeolitic materials synthesized from coal fly ash

Abstract

Brown coal fly ash derived from the combustion of brown-coal in power plant ENO Nováky (Slovak Republic) was used as raw material for synthesis of zeolitic materials ZM1 and ZM3 by hydrothermal alternation with 1M NaOH and 3M NaOH, respectively. Fly ash and synthesized products were characterized using XRF and SEM-EDX analysis. Subsequently, zeolitic materials were tested as sorbents to remove Cs+ ions from aqueous solutions using radiotracer technique. Sorption of cesium by both types of zeolitic materials obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The maximum sorption capacities Qmax at pH 6.0 calculated from Langmuir isotherm were 1203 ± 65 μmol Cs+/ g for ZM1 and 1341 ± 66 μmol Cs+/ g for ZM3. The results showed that alkali treated fly ash can be used as effective sorbent for radiocesium removal from contaminated solutions.