An approach for the efficient immobilization of 79Se using Fe-OOH modified GMZ bentonite.

Because of high mobility, the immobilization of long-lived fission product ⁷⁹Se (often existed as ⁷⁹Se(IV) and ⁷⁹Se(VI) anions) is a critical consideration in the repository of high-level radioactive waste. In this work, a Fe-OOH modified bentonite (Fe-OOH-bent) was synthesized as a potential filling material in the repository site for effective adsorption and present the migration of different species of ⁷⁹Se. The adsorbent was characterized using FT-IR, XRD, XFS, zeta potential and BET to clarify its physical properties, compositions and structures. A good thermal and radiation stabilities of Fe-OOH-bent was confirmed by its stable uptake ratio for Se(IV) and Se(VI) compared to original samples. The batch experimental results show that Se(IV) and Se(VI) can be efficiently removed from aqueous by Fe-OOH-bent within 60 min with maximum adsorption capacities of 68.45 mg/g for Se(IV) and 40.47 mg/g for Se(VI) in the optimal conditions, indicating its high potential application in consideration of its simple synthesis process, low cost and high adsorption capacity in view of immobilization of ⁷⁹Se. The surface species and variation of oxide state of Fe as well as Se(IV) and Se(VI) onto Fe-OOH-bent were investigated by XPS analysis. The values of relative area of Se(IV)–O and Se(VI)–O in XPS spectra followed the same tendency as their adsorption ratio with the variation of system pH, suggesting that the formation of complexes between selenium species and Fe-OOH-bent surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]