A Study of the Adsorption Characteristics of Cobalt and Caesium from a Solution by Using Vietnamese Bentonite

Abstract

The radioactive waste produced from the construction of a nuclear power plant is a controversial topic. The resulting radioactive waste contains 60Co and 137Cs isotopes that are the most difficult to remove. Bentonite is widely used as an adsorbent for heavy metals. An important factor is the safe operation of waste management at a nuclear power plant to be built in Vietnam. Therefore, a method of degrading complexes of radionuclides and the adsorption of radionuclides onto Vietnamese Bentonite was implemented in this study. In current literature, UV radiation and heating with oxidising substances are used in general for degrading complexes of radionuclides. The experimental results for the adsorption of Co(II) and Cs+ onto VNB suggest that VNB can be used in the future for large-scale liquid waste treatment due to its low cost, high efficiency, and environmentally friendliness.