CLAY-MINERALS AS SORBENTS FOR NUCLEAR-REACTOR ACTIVATION PRODUCTS

A comparison is presented of cobalt and chromium uptake on different c lays. It is shown that clay minerals are good adsorbents for cobalt an d chromium in waste effluents. The sorption of cobalt and chromium on the clays studied was by ion exchange and surface complex formation, r espectively. In addition, the percentage of either cobalt or chromium removed in a mixed solution environment is higher than the individual adsorption in single-component experiments. This proves a synergistic mechanism. The optimum uptake of each metal ion from mixed species was achieved by montmorillonite clay in the calcium form.