Removal of low level americium-241 from potable water originated from different geochemical environments by calcium alginate

In a nuclear accident eventuality, the decontamination of potable water without disturbing the water quality is one of the major challenges. During this work, efforts have been made to reduce the contamination of americium (Am)-241 from potable water effectively by using calcium alginate followed by treatment with activated charcoal. Laboratory simulated experiments were carried out for the removal of low level of Am-241 from the potable water originated from groundwater, rain water and lake water. Water samples after filtering through 0.45 μm filter paper were spiked in the range of 10–200 Bq L − 1 of Am-241 as Am(NO 3) 3. In the pH range 1–8, 60–98% Am was sorbed in the beads with a maximum observed at pH 4 ± 0.2. It was observed that the variation of carbonate, bicarbonate, does not influence the sorption capacity of calcium alginate whereas the DOC decreased the sorption capacity in the range of 40–93% depending on DOC concentration. Ninety-eight to ninety-nine percent of Am is recovered from sodium alginate beads by using 0.6 M HNO 3. The mechanism of interaction of Am with calcium alginate is proposed based on attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). ► Decontamination of potable water from Am-241 without disturbing the water qualities. ► Decontamination is achieved by using calcium alginate beads complimented by activated charcoal treatment. ► Impact of origin of potable water on the decontamination process. ► Spectroscopic (ATR-FTIR) investigation of Am binding with calcium alginate at pH 4.0. ► Evaluation of the sorption capacity of calcium alginate for Am 3+ based on Eu 3+ a natural analog of Am.