Procedure to remove dissolved nickel and/or radium compounds from water and facility therefor

Dissolved nickel and/or radium compounds are removed from water on a granular material such as quartz sand, crushed coal or granulated MnO2 whose surface contains oxides of manganese MnOx. The compounds to be removed are adsorbed into the MnOx layer. Subsequently the adsorbed compounds are desorbed with a reductant, such as sodium sulfite, which is present in a concentration forming a redox potential of -5 to -120 mV, and with a solution of sodium polyphosphate, such as sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)n. Two variants are possible: either MnOx is first acted upon with the reductant and subsequently with the polyphosphate, or a mixed solution of the two agents is used. The excess of the agents is removed with water or with a KMnO4 solution at 0.001 to 25 g/L. The granular material as well as the agent solutions (after concentration) are reusable. (P.A.)