Abstract
The sorption of yttrium (III) by some natural clays, synthetic exchangers and metal oxides has been investigated. The extent of sorption was found to depend on time of contact, pH, concentration of the sorbed ion, solution temperature, shaking velocity and the solvent. Some cations were added to compete with Y3+ but an effect was only observed for trivalent ions at relatively high concentrations. Acid treatment of the clays was found to have no or little effect on sorption, while heat treatment decreases the extent of sorption. The results were found to follow Freundlich isotherm.