• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.667-675
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• 2020

An Alum-sludge based adsorbent (ASBA) was synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of alum sludge obtained from settling basin in water treatment plant. ASBA was applied to remove fluoride and arsenic in artificially-contaminated aqueous solutions and mine drainage. The mineralogical crystal structure, composition, and specific surface area of ASBA were identified. The result revealed that ASBA has irregular pores and a specific surface area of 87.25 ㎡ g-1 on its surface, which is advantageous for quick and facile adsorption. The main mineral components of the adsorbent were found to be quartz(SiO2), montmorillonite((Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·4H2O) and albite(NaAlSi3O8). The effects of pH, reaction time, initial concentration, and temperature on removal of fluoride and arsenic were examined. The results of the experiments showed that, the adsorbed amount of fluoride and arsenic gradually decreased with increasing pH. Based on the results of kinetic and isotherm experiments, the maximum adsorption capacity of fluoride and arsenic were 7.6 and 5.6 mg g-1, respectively. Developed models of fluoride and arsenic were suitable for the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Moreover, As for fluoride and arsenic, the increase rate of adsorption concentration decreased after 8 and 12 hr, respectively, after the start of the reaction. Also, the thermodynamic data showed that the amount of fluoride and arsenic adsorbed onto ASBA increased with increasing temperature from 25℃ to 35℃, indicating that the adsorption was endothermic and non-spontaneous reaction. As a result of regeneration experiments, ASBA can be regenerated by 1N of NaOH. In the actual mine drainage experiment, it was found that it has relatively high removal rates of 77% and 69%. The experimental results show ASBA is effective as an adsorbent for removal fluoride and arsenic from mine drainage, which has a small flow rate and acid/neutral pH environment.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.603-618
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• 2023

This study focused on evaluating the suitability of the WRK (waste repository Korea) bentonite as a buffer material in the SNF (spent nuclear fuel) repository. The U (uranium) adsorption/desorption characteristics and the adsorption mechanisms of the WRK bentonite were presented through various analyses, adsorption/desorption experiments, and kinetic adsorption modeling at various pH conditions. Mineralogical and structural analyses supported that the major mineral of the WRK bentonite is the Ca-montmorillonite having the great possibility for the U adsorption. From results of the U adsorption/desorption experiments (intial U concentration: 1 mg/L) for the WRK bentonite, despite the low ratio of the WRK bentonite/U (2 g/L), high U adsorption efficiency (>74%) and low U desorption rate (<14%) were acquired at pH 5, 6, 10, and 11 in solution, supporting that the WRK bentonite can be used as the buffer material preventing the U migration in the SNF repository. Relatively low U adsorption efficiency (<45%) for the WRK bentonite was acquired at pH 3 and 7 because the U exists as various species in solution depending on pH and thus its U adsorption mechanisms are different due to the U speciation. Based on experimental results and previous studies, the main U adsorption mechanisms of the WRK bentonite were understood in viewpoint of the chemical adsorption. At the acid conditions (＜pH 3), the U is apt to adsorb as forms of UO₂²⁺, mainly due to the ionic bond with Si-O or Al-O(OH) present on the WRK bentonite rather than the ion exchange with Ca²⁺ among layers of the WRK bentonite, showing the relatively low U adsorption efficiency. At the alkaline conditions (>pH 7), the U could be adsorbed in the form of anionic U-hydroxy complexes (UO₂(OH)₃^-, UO₂(OH)₄^2-, (UO₂)₃(OH)₇^-, etc.), mainly by bonding with oxygen (O^-) from Si-O or Al-O(OH) on the WRK bentonite or by co-precipitation in the form of hydroxide, showing the high U adsorption. At pH 7, the relatively low U adsorption efficiency (42%) was acquired in this study and it was due to the existence of the U-carbonates in solution, having relatively high solubility than other U species. The U adsorption efficiency of the WRK bentonite can be increased by maintaining a neutral or highly alkaline condition because of the formation of U-hydroxyl complexes rather than the uranyl ion (UO₂²⁺) in solution,and by restraining the formation of U-carbonate complexes in solution.