Uptake of Ba2+ ions by natural bentonite and CaCO3: a radiotracer, EDXRF and PXRD study

Abstract

Ba2+ uptake by natural bentonite, CaCO3 in addition to a number of bentonite-CaCO3 mixtures with variable compositions as a function of pH and Ba2+ concentration was studied. Radiotracer method, EDXRF, and PXRD were used. The results of radiotracer experiments showed that the uptake of Ba2+ by CaCO3 was larger than its uptake by natural bentonite samples, particularly at low initial concentrations of Ba2+ and higher pH values. This finding was supported by the EDXRF results, According to the sorption data, the apparent ΔG° values of sorption were in the range -9±1 to -13±3 kJ/mol. The PXRD studies revealed the formation of BaCO3 upon sorption of Ba2+ on pure CaCO3 and on some of the bentonite-CaCO3 mixtures.