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Sorption of Cesium from Dilute Solutions¹

ABSTRACT

Sorption of Cs by a synthetic cation-exchange resin and by several clay minerals, over a range of low Cs concentrations, was studied in the presence of different counter-ions. An ionexchange equation was used to predict the sorption of Cs from dilute solutions. Exchange isotherms showed that the sorption of Cs by the resin followed these predictions: Exchange isotherms were straight lines with unit slope. Sorption of Cs by clay minerals, however, did not follow these predictions except when K⁺ was the competing cation. When Ca²⁺ and Al³⁺ were the competing cations, the exchange isotherms for montmorillonite were straight lines with less than unit slope, showing that a larger proportion of Cs was sorbed with decreased Cs concentrations. The exchange isotherms of illite and vermiculite, on the other hand, had at least two distinct slopes suggesting that more than one type of exchange site is involved in the sorption of Cs by these minerals. These conclusions were also supported by estimates of the equilibrium constants calculated from Vanselow's equation.

¹ Contribution from The Connecticut Agr. Exp. Sta., New Haven. This study was supported in part by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission under contract AT(30-1)-2955.

² Associate Soil Scientist. The author wishes to express his appreciation to Dr. C. R. Frink for helpful discussions and to Mr. F. C. C. Pedersen for technical assistance during the course of this investigation.

Received for publication May 4, 1964. Accepted for publication August 10, 1964.