Purification of Radioactive Contaminated Water with a Column Charged with Several Adsorbents

Abstract

Mordenite, semibaked dolomite, and activated carbon were chosen as adsorbents in a column for purifying water contaminated with radioactive materials. Under the static condition, distribution coefficients of radioactive isotopes (Cs137, Sr90, Ru106, Ce144, and I131) in water on mordenite, semibaked dolomite, and activated carbon were determined. Distribution coefficients of radioactive isotopes on columns charged with individual adsorbents (granular size = 0.2–0.315 mm) were also determined. Based on those experimental data, as radioactive contaminated water [specific radioactivity of 4–6× 103 impulse (imp)/(mL·min)] traveled at a flow rate of 0.1 mL/min through a column charged with those adsorbents together, radioactive isotopes (Cs137, Sr90, Ru106, Ce144, and I131) were removed completely from water at volume 200 times that of the total adsorbents’ bed volume. Thus, this column may be used to purify radioactive contaminated water.