Role of the humic acid for sorption of radionuclides by synthesized titania

Abstract Present work reports on synthesis, characterization and application of titania powder (anatase) for sorption of 137Cs (monovalent), 133Ba (divalent) and 154Eu (trivalent) radionuclides in the presence and absence of humic acid (Aldrich). In order to obtain a detailed sorption behavior of all the three aforementioned radionuclides, a series of experiments were conducted with respect to effect of pH, humic acid (HA), and concentration of radionuclides. Sorption studies of 137Cs, 133Ba and 154Eu onto synthesized titania have been carried out over a wide range of pH scale varying from 3 to 11 in the presence and absence of Aldrich Humic acid (2 mg/L). Sorption of all the three radionuclides rises sharply with the pH of the suspension with saturation value of ∼ 70%, 80% and 85% respectively for monovalent, bivalent and trivalent radionuclides. Humic acid could not make any influence for sorption of 137Cs, but significantly altered with respect to 133Ba and 154Eu sorption. The sorption data at various concentrations were fitted with Freundlich isotherm model.