cation exchange properties of natural and synthetic aluminium silicates, using radioactive tracers

the investigations presented in this work were carried out in order to study the feasibility of the use of some naturally abundant cheep clay minerals either in the original or treated forms and of some synthetic clay- like minerals in purifying liquid radioactive wastes. this purification may be achieved either by using these minerals as sorbents in purification plants within the nuclear installation, or by pumping the liquid radioactive wastes in selected areas having these minerals in thick strata above the underground water table. two types of minerals were selected for the study, namely bentonite and interstratified mica-vermiculite minerals. the interstratified minerals were used after their chemical treatment with a view to increase their vermiculite content, and consequently their capacity values . in addition to these minerals, attempts were made to synthesize twelve clay-like minerals using a simple chemical method and to study the possibility of their use as selective sorbent for certain radionuclides