Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-06403-7 Sorption behavior of some radionuclides using prepared adsorbent of hydroxyapatite from biomass waste material D. M. Imam 1  · S. I. Moussa 1  · M. F. Attallah 1 Received: 6 October 2018 © Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary 2019 Abstract We aim to recycle and utilization of eggshell as a biomass waste of human foodstuf. Pure hydroxyapatite nano-particles were prepared using waste eggshell at diferent temperature of 80 °C (ESHANP) and calcination at the 850 °C (CESHA) adsorbent materials and characterized by some instruments. Sorption studies of 60 Co and 109 Cd from aqueous waste solu- tions onto ESHANP and CESHA were performed at diferent pH solutions, initial ion concentration and contact time. The obtained data were analyzed using some kinetic, difusion and isotherm models. It can be recommended ESHANP as reme- diation agent for nuclear waste sites. Keywords Radioactive liquid waste · Removal · Utilization, biomass material, toxic heavy elements Introduction A numerous amounts of radionuclides were freed into the environment because of the operations of research reac- tors, accelerators, and laboratory activities. The resulting of high yield fssion products may generate radioactive waste, is a signifcant radioactive contaminant at nuclear facilities worldwide [1, 2]. The released radionuclides are deposited on the soil, plant and water. Among them, long- lived radionuclides, such as 134 Cs (t 1/2 : 2.06 year), 137 Cs (t 1/2 : 30.17 year), and 90 Sr (t 1/2 : 28.79 year), which are of bother in terms of environmental contamination. The disposal of this radioactive waste is among the most extreme costly environ- mental problems. There are diverse methods to remove metal ions from wastewater, natural ion exchange such as clay min- erals; carbon materials, polymer materials, and oxides were extensively used [3] for radionuclides removal from nuclear/ radioactive waste waters. However, these materials sufer from either low efciencies or low adsorption capacities and inconsistent quality. Other technologies include precipitation ultrafltration and osmosis [4] is often expensive. Calcium apatite with a general chemical structure Ca 10-n X n (PO 4 ) 6-m Y m Z 2 ; X and Y represent cations (Sr(II), Na(I), Pb(II) and Cd(II) etc.) and anions (HPO 4 2− and CO 3 2− etc.) that can substitute for PO 4 3− groups in the main texture, while Z can be OH − , F − , C − , or Br − [5], have suit- able properties for the immobilization of actinides & lantha- nides radionuclides and poisonous metals, [6, 7]. As a result of strong adsorptive properties; big surface area, high stabil- ity, enhanced active sites, and abundant functional groups; it was increasingly used in the treatment of wastewater and nuclear waste [6, 8]. The surface of apatite could be used for sorbed or exchanged cationic radionuclides [9] and also anionic radionuclides [10, 11]. Metals (e.g., Pb, Sr, and Co) and actinides (e.g., U) can be sorbed onto the environmentally stable structure of hydroxyapatite nano-particles (HANP) [6, 8]. HANP has been assessed as a remediation agent for nuclear waste sites [8]. In addition, mobile HANP can alter the distribution of many metal contaminants in soils and groundwater [12]. Hydroxyapatite was shown to remove Sr(II) and Co(II) from water solution and artifcial groundwater [8]. Sequestration of strontium-90 by hydroxyapatite was investigated with a mixture of calcium citrate & Na- phosphate by releasing Ca(II) ions [9]. Moderate sorption of As, Se, Sr, Cs and Tc, and very good removal of U and Pu by hydroxyapatite adsor- bents were observed [13]. It can conclude that phosphate Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-06403-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * M. F. Attallah dr.m.f.attallah@gmail.com; mohamed.attallah@eaea.org.eg 1 Hot Laboratories Center, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo 13759, Egypt