Recovery of purified radiocesium from acidic solution using ammonium molybdophosphate and resorcinol formaldehyde polycondensate resin

Separation of Cs⁺ from acidic solution was investigated using ammonium molybdo- phosphate (AMP) based sorbents. Four sorbents including two AMP powders and two composites prepared by coating of AMP powder on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) beads were used in this study. Equilibrium sorption isotherms for Cs⁺ on AMP sorbents were determined. The effect of H⁺ concentration on Cs⁺ uptake by AMP–PMMA beads was examined. Two column runs were carried out to establish the Cs⁺ separation performance of AMP–PMMA beads from 1.0 M nitric acid having Cs⁺ concentration equivalent to 10 Ci of ¹³⁷Cs per litre. Recovery of Cs⁺ from loaded AMP–PMMA column was carried out by dissolution of AMP using NaOH solution. The feasibility of ion exchange purification of the recovered Cs⁺ solution was examined using resorcinol formaldehyde polycondensate resin (RFPR). The Cs⁺ sorption isotherm on RFPR from Cs-bearing dissolved AMP solution was determined. Purification of Cs⁺ from dissolved AMP solution was studied in two column runs using RFPR in loading-elution cycles. The results of these studies are useful in formulating a scheme for the recovery of purified ¹³⁷Cs product from high level waste for large-scale utilization as a radiation source in industrial irradiators.