Evaluation study for uranium adsorption from gattar pilot plant pregnant solution by Egyptian bentonite sediments

Abstract EN

Bentonite deposits have a great potential for using an engineering barrier in the multicarrier system of deep geological repository.

In this paper, Egyptian clay sediments of bentonite collected from El Sahel EL Shamally (North Coast-H) West Alexandria, Egypt.

Firstly, complete characterizations of the bentonite clay sediments such as complete chemical analysis of major oxides and trace elements, XRD and IR spectroscopy were performed.

The bentonite clay sediment adsorption factors towards anionic uranium species were also investigated such as the ratio of the clay sediment to the pregnant uranium solution (S/L ratio), the uranium pregnant solution initial concentrations and its pH and the agitation time ranging from 30 to 240 min.

Uranium adsorption optimum conditions by bentonite sediments are as follow: S/l 1:2, pH=6, agitation time 120 min., temperature 30 oC and uranium concentration 70 ppm giving about 70% adsorption efficiency.

On the other hand, uranium desorption efficiency percent obtained was 78% using 1M HCl for 3 cycles and 69% using 1 M NaCl for 3 cycle.