Comparative uptake study of Cesium on encapsulated nano magnetites

Radioactive cesium is one of the major radiation hazardous nuclide present within high-level and low level wastes. The environmental threat originates due to its easy transportability via the environment, moderate half life (t_1/2 of ¹³⁷Cs ∼ 30.4yrs), and high solubility in water as a consequence of high mobility within aqueous media. The reusability, quickness, simple and reliable procedure of synthesis, low consumption of solvent, physically amenable and generation of less or practically no secondary waste make sorption a more favorable option for effective uptake study. In the present work three different nano magnetite viz. bare magnetite, oleic acid coated hematite-magnetite composite material and silica coated magnetite have been used for cesium (I) sorption. Magnetite nanomaterials have been chosen for the present study mainly because of their easy separation and separation of sorbed materials by a strong magnet so that production of secondary waste could be minimized as well as clumsy procedure of filtration and other steps has been minimized as well as encapsulation by long chain fatty acid and silica enhances the magnetites stability and sorption capacity