9. Assessment of Adsorption Parameter Effectiveness for Radio-Selenium and Radio-Iodine Adsorption on Activated Carbon

Selenium and iodine are found in human body and primarily used in nutrition, and excess or absence of them can lead to diseases. Therefore, their possible dispersion to environment through mining and reprocessing of metals, combustion of coal and fossil fuel, nuclear accidents, or similar activities needs remediation. Adsorption is one of the useful techniques to remove pollutants. In this study, a factorial design is used to determine the effect of pH, concentration of adsorbate, and contact time upon adsorption. Adsorption capacities of radio-selenium and radio-iodine were evaluated for factorial design using activated carbons. The used activated carbon samples were prepared by chemical and physical activation methods. Radioactivity measurements were carried out by using high-resolution gamma spectroscopy system. Results of the research lead to provide useful information about energy generation and management processes by preventing hazardous elements’ dispersion to the environment.