Cesium ion removal from low-level radioactive wastewater utilizing synthesized cobalt hexacyanoferrate-sand composite

Abstract Here, a novel method of synthesis of a sand-based adsorbent for radioactive Cs + ion removal is reported. Natural sand has been modified with cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoHCF) using a simple and effective approach. The detailed physical–chemical characterization of the synthesized adsorbent is carried out using XRD, XPS, UV-visible, FT-IR, ICP-AES and Raman spectroscopy. Cs + ion batch adsorption studies were conducted radio-analytically, and the sorbent’s adsorption capability was observed to be ∼5 mg g −1 . The batch studies revealed that Cs + ion was selectively adsorbed throughout a broad pH range of 1–10. The rate-controlling steps in the adsorption process, according to kinetic studies, are film diffusion and intraparticular diffusion and the adsorption process follows a second-order kinetics.