Immobilisation and solidification of cesium on 11Å calcium silicate hydroxy hydrate column

726-729Calcium silicate hydrate closely resembling silicate mineral "IIÅ tobermorite" has been synthesised by hydrothermal treatment of lime and silica at 175°C. The synthetic mineral exhibits selectivity for Cs+ in the presence of strong solutions of alkali and alkaline earth cations, viz., Na+, K+, Mg2+,Ca2+, Sr2+, etc. The AI-substituted form of this mineral effectively separates cesium ion when used as an exchanger in column of size 35x5 mm (hxr), It is possible to remove 98.65±0.5% Cs+ from a mixed solution of cesium and sodium (0.0001N Cs++0.5N Na+). Column separation of cesium from simulated intermediate level waste solution shows that from the first run - 76% Cs+ can be immobilised on a small column, 18x10mm (hxr), having 2.0g of exchanger