Sorption of 137Cs from Aqueous Waste Solutions using Pottery

A simple and inexpensive method for sorption of 137Cs from aqueous solutions using a highly available vase shape pottery material has been investigated. Porosity of the used pottery allowed for the penetration of the radioactive solution through its permeable body. Two routes had been investigated for cesium removal from the radioactive solutions. In the first one, pottery bodies were immersed into the radioactive solutions. In the second method; the radioactive solutions were filled the inner volumes of the pottery bodies. Vase shape pottery showed higher sorption capability for 137Cs much more than its powder forms, especially in the alkaline medium. Pottery bodies showed high potential for 137Cs removal. Adsorption isotherms revealed good lit to the Freundlich and Langumir isotherms. During sorption processes outside and inside the pottery body, 137Cs was well captured inside the amorphous microstructure of the pottery body. In this respect, micro filtration of cesium radionuclides through the used pottery could be postulated. Desorption experiments indicated higher immobilization affinity for radiocesium into pottery bodies, which indicates a high containment for 137Cs with an irreversible fixation mechanism