Removal of chromate (CrO4
2–) and pertechnetate
(TcO4
–) from the Hanford Low Activity
Waste (LAW) is beneficial as it impacts the cost, life cycle, operational
complexity of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP),
and integrity of vitrified glass for nuclear waste disposal. Here,
we report the application of [MoIV
3S13]2– intercalated layer double hydroxides (LDH–Mo3S13) for the removal of CrO4
2– as a surrogate for TcO4
–, from ppm
to ppb levels from water and a simulated LAW off-gas condensate of
Hanford’s WTP. LDH–Mo3S13 removes
CrO4
2– from the LAW condensate stream,
having a pH of 7.5, from ppm (∼9.086 × 104 ppb
of Cr6+) to below 1 ppb levels with distribution constant
(K
d) values of up to ∼107 mL/g. Analysis of postadsorbed solids indicates that CrO4
2– removal mainly proceeds by reduction of Cr6+ to Cr3+. This study sets the first example of
a metal sulfide intercalated LDH for the removal of CrO4
2–, as relevant to TcO4
–, from the simulated off-gas condensate streams of Hanford’s
LAW melter which contains highly concentrated competitive anions,
namely F–, Cl–, CO3
2–, NO3
–, BO3
3–, NO2
–, SO4
2–, and B4O7
2–. LDH–Mo3S13’s remarkable removal
efficiency makes it a promising sorbent to remediate CrO4
2–/TcO4
– from surface
water and an off-gas condensate of nuclear waste.