Thermodynamic analysis for the sorptive removal of cesium and strontium ions onto synthesized magnetic nano zeolite

• Synthesis and characterization of magnetic nano Zeolite and its removal efficiency towards Cs+ and Sr2+ was assessed.
• The Influence of pH was studied and optimized to ensure the best sorption efficiency of Cs+ and Sr2+ from aqueous solution.
• The thermodynamic modeling of sorption is used to highlight the interaction energy between the two solutes in the solution.

The present study aims at examining the feasibility of using synthesized magnetic nano zeolite for the sorptive removal of cesium and strontium ions existing in the liquid radwaste stream. Cs+/Na+ and Sr2+/Na+ binary ion exchange experiments were performed in the batch mode at different three temperatures (298,303 and 313 K), optimized proton concentration (pH), equilibrium time and constant total normality. The thermodynamic analysis of both binary systems was performed using four types of model equations: Langmuir; Freundlich; Radlish-Peterson and thermodynamic equilibrium models. The extended Debye–Huckel relation and the Wilson equation were used to estimate the solution and the solid phase activity coefficients, respectively. The results obtained during this study demonstrated the correlation of the four examined models with the experimental equilibrium data, which proved to be satisfactory. On the other hand, the thermodynamic non-idealities was found to give the best results. Thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy change, Gibbs free energy change and entropy change were also calculated. The obtained affirmative results demonstrated that the synthesized magnetic nano zeolite can be used as an efficient sorbent for the removal of Cs+ and Sr2+ ions from the contaminated solutions.

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