A technological approach based on engineered nanoclay composites for cesium and iodine retention

The development of effective and environmentally friendly methods for separating hazardous radionuclides from waste poses a significant technological challenge. ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³¹I are among the most important radionuclides discharged into the environment by nuclear power plants. One of the best ways to eliminate them involves adsorption on clay minerals. In this regard, studies have demonstrated that organofunctionalized clay minerals are effective adsorbents. Thus, this study investigates the capability of organofunctionalized synthetic design clay minerals to jointly eliminate cesium and iodine. The adsorbents studied are a range of organofunctionalized clay minerals with alkylammonium cations of different alkyl chain lengths (2, 3 and 18) and some physical mixtures of raw clay minerals and octadecylammonium compounds. Organofunctionalized synthetic swelling highly charged micas are effective adsorbents for the simultaneous adsorption of cesium and iodine. In addition, the optimal system is a mixture of Na-M4 with octadecylammonium (50% w/w).