Sorption studies of radionuclides on argillaceous clays of Cuddapah System

Worldwide argillaceous clays are being studied as promising host rock for nuclear high level waste disposal. Cuddapah argillite is under evaluation for Indian clay rock based repository. Herein characterization of this clay and evaluation for its sorption characteristics towards Cs(I) and Eu(III) has been studied. Surface complexation modeling of Cs(I) sorption on argillaceous clay revealed that Cs(I) is sorbed on high as well as low affinity ion exchange sites. In modeling of Eu(III) sorption data, surface complexes of Eu(III) and europium carbonate species, along with ion exchange reaction, reproduced the sorption profile with ankerite dissolution influencing distribution of various surface complexes.