MAGNETICALLY MODIFIED BENTONITE AND LADLE FURNACE SLAG FOR STRONTIUM SORPTION

The removal of pollutants, especially those with long half-lives, from water remains a current challenge.Commercial bentonite and waste materials -ladle furnace slags -were selected as suitable sorbents for Sr 2+ .Bentonite and ladle furnace slags were modified with iron oxide (FexOy) nanoparticles (NPs) with magnetic properties using a microwave-assisted process, which allows easy removal of sorbents, including adsorbed pollutants from aqueous environments with a magnet.The sorption efficiencies of bentonite, ladle furnace slags and their magnetic modifications were compared.The determined sorption capacity of furnace slags and their magnetic modifications was higher than the sorption capacity of bentonite and magnetically modified bentonite.The release of FexOy NPs from the magnetically modified sorbents during the sorption experiments was monitored as well.The results of the experiments demonstrate the potential of using magnetically modified ladle furnace slags for the removal of Sr 2+ from aqueous environments.