Selective Immobilization of Antimony Using Brucite-rich Precipitate Produced during In Situ Hypochlorous Acid Formation through Seawater Electrolysis in a Nuclear Power Plant

Kyung-Hee Lee, Yong-Gu Lee, Jaegwan Shin, Kangmin Chon and Sang-Ho Lee
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Kyung-Hee Lee: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Central Research Institute, 70, 1312-gil, Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34101, Korea
Yong-Gu Lee: Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil 1, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 24341, Korea
Jaegwan Shin: Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil 1, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 24341, Korea
Kangmin Chon: Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwondaehak-gil 1, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 24341, Korea
Sang-Ho Lee: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) Central Research Institute, 70, 1312-gil, Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34101, Korea

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-11

Abstract: This study has investigated the selective immobilization of antimony using the brucite (magnesium hydroxide)-rich precipitate (BP) collected from a hypochlorous storage tank in a nuclear power plant of South Korea. The energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that the BP mainly consisted of magnesium (72.5%) and its dominant mineral phase was brucite (Mg(OH) 2 ). Therefore, brandholzite (Mg[Sb(OH) 6 ] 2 ·6H 2 O) was newly formed through the surface-induced precipitation during the adsorption of antimony using the BP. The adsorbed amount of antimony increased with decreasing pH values because of the increased positive surface charge of the BP (pH pzc = 9.6). The maximum adsorption capacity (Q max ) of BP, calculated by Langmuir adsorption isotherm, was 11.02 mg/g. The presence of competitive anions did not significantly affect the adsorption of antimony toward the BP due to its high selectivity. These results suggest that the facile utilization of the BP as a low-cost adsorbent seems to be a practical option for the selective removal of antimony from wastewater.

Keywords: antimony; brucite; brandholzite-like structure; adsorption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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