Sorption of barium on kaolinite, montmorillonite and chlorite

Abstract

The sorption characteristics of the Ba²⁺ ion on kaolinite, montmorillonite and chlorite type clays were studied using the batch method. Barium-133 was used as a tracer. The Ba²⁺ ion concentrations ranged from 10^–8 to 10^–5 mol l^–1; synthetic groundwater was used and the grain size of all the solid particles was <40 µm. About 6, 8 and 12 d of shaking were necessary to reach equilibrium for chlorite, kaolinite and montmorillonite, respectively. The sorption isotherms were described best by Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich type isotherms. Sorption was predominantly reversible for kaolinite and partly reversible for montmorillonite and chlorite.