Modification of perlite to prepare low cost zeolite as adsorbent material for removal of 144Ce and 152+154Eu from aqueous solution

Abstract

The expanded perlite and base activated perlite (Zeolite-NaA) results from treating perlite has a SiO2:Al2O3 ratio ~2 were used as an adsorbents for the removal of 144Ce and 152+154Eu. The two adsorbents were fully characterized. The factors affecting the sorption of radionuclides onto expanded and modified perlite including contact time, pH, ion concentration were investigated. The modification process of expanded perlite enhanced the removal of 152+154Eu from 17.0 to 97.0 %, while for 144Ce from 22.0 to 91.0 %. Both 144Ce and 152+154Eu obey Langmiur isotherm model in case of using modified perlite (Zeolite-NaA) and expanded perlite.