Biosorption of Ga-67 radionuclides from aqueous solutions onto waste pomace of an olive oil factory.

The aim of this research was to test the removal of Ga-67 radionuclides from aqueous solutions by biosorption onto waste pomace of an olive oil factory (WPOOF). Batch adsorption studies were performed in order to investigate the temperature, the initial pH of the solution, the stirring speed, the biosorbent dose, and the nominal particle size of the biosorbent in the experimental work. The most effective parameter was found to be the initial pH. A high biosorption yield of 98 was obtained. The equilibrium values were fitted to the isotherm models. The values of DeltaG and DeltaH were calculated to be negative. The adsorption kinetics calculations showed that the kinetics of the biosorption process fitted well to the pseudo-second order rate model.