Application of a carbonized apricot stone for the treatment of some radioactive nuclei

Apricot stone shells were carbonized under certain chemical and thermal conditions to produce sorbents having a quantitative affinity to retain some radioactive nuclei. The sorbent shows a thermal stability upto 500 °C. The diffraction patterns clarify that the sorbent is mainly amorphous in structure. Carbon in these shells was elementally analyzed and the data reveal a predominant content of acidic surface centers with hydrophilic properties. The isoelectric point (pH_PZC) was determined and found to be 4.2 implying the acidic nature of the sorbent surface. The sorption of Cs⁺, Co²⁺ and Eu³⁺ on the prepared sorbent was studied from aqueous solution under different variables and the sorption capacity had values from 0.23-1.15 meq/g.