Heat and Radiation Effects on Iodide Sorption by Surfactant Modified Bentonite (SMB)

Radioactive waste repository is designed using multiple barriers to prevent the release of radionuclides to environments. Bentonite has been used as engineering barrier in many countries. Although the bentonite is an effective sorbent for cationic radionuclides, it is not good for anions such as 129-I and 99-Tc because of negative surface charges over the pH. Radioactive iodine exists usually as anions such as iodate (IO3-) and iodide (I-) as stable iodine species in groundwater environments. Therefore, the iodine is one of the most difficult elements for its transport through engineering barrier (i. e., bentonite) to be controlled by sorption processes in the geological repository. We modified the bentonite using a cationic surfactant to enhance iodine sorption capability. The goal of this study is addressed to evaluate the effects of sorption of high heat and radiation on iodide sorption to surfactant modified bentonite (SMB) which can be used as engineering barrier in the repository. The iodide sorption on the SMBs was significantly affected by temperature conditions rather than radiation. As temperature increases, the iodide sorption decreases. Considering the similar sorption abilities between 100 and 200% SMBs, the 100% SMB is economical sorbent to apply for engineering barrier in a geological repository