Sorption of Am(III), U(VI) and Cs(I) on sodium potassium fluorophlogopite, an analogue of the fluorine mica mineral

The sorption of ²⁴¹Am, ²³³U and ¹³⁷Cs from nitric acid solutions on a synthesized sodium potassium fluoro-phlogopite (SPFP) gel, structurally close to the fluorine mica mineral, has been studied. The synthesized gel was characterized by energy dispersive spectrometry, X-ray powder diffraction pattern, FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis and has a composition of Na_0.5K_0.5Mg₃(Si₃AlO₁₀)F₂.6H₂O. Different parameters like contact time, acid concentration, amount of SPFP, metal ion concentrations, effect of competing cations, desorption of the nuclides from the loaded SPFP gel etc., were studied using batch technique. Also, the SPFP gel was loaded with Eu(III), U(VI) and Cs(I) and the amounts sorbed on the gel has been estimated by difference from the concentrations in the original solution and those remaining in the solution after loading. Na, K, Mg, Eu and U were estimated by ICP-AES and Cs by electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry. The exchange of Na, K and Mg with the loaded cations has been evaluated and discussed in the light of ion exchange and surface precipitate sorption mechanisms.