Several metal antimonates MSbO (M = Si, Ti, Mn, Sn) have been studied for the removal of several key radionuclides (60Co, 90Sr and 137Cs) from nuclear waste solutions. Special emphasis was the removal of radionuclides from acidic effluents and from effluents of high Ca content. Synthesis and initial screening test indicated that increasing the degree of substitution of other metals (M) for Sb increases the uptake of divalent cations (Sr, Co) in acidic media. Some of the synthesised compounds also showed considerable tolerance for Ca ions in Sr removal. Column tests with granular silicon antimonate gave very good decontamination factors (DF) for 85Sr (DF up to 10000) and 134Cs (DF up to 600) in nitric acid solution (0.1 M) and for 57Co (up to 5000) 85Sr (up to 3000) in neutral simulated pond water. Precoat tests with manganese antimonate powder gave high decontamination factors for 57Co (DF up to 600) in simulated NPP floor drain water. In general, the performance of the metal antimonates was considerably better than that of commercial materials (zeolite, titanate, and silicotitanate) that were tested in parallel for reference.
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