Alteration of clay minerals -: gamma-irradiation effects on physicochemical properties

In the present work, the influence of gamma-irradiation (1.1 MGy, Co-60) on physicochemical parameters (crystallinity, specific surface, cation exchange capacity, main layer charge) of various clay minerals (montmorillonite, illite and samples of the serpentine-kaolin group) were investigated. The influence of gamma-irradiation on the physicochemical properties is generally weak. A reduction of lattice iron during irradiation could be measured, which causes decreasing values of cation exchange capacity (CEC) and main layer charge of the smectites. A weak loss of crystallinity of kaolinite could be observed. The results show that the structure of clay minerals is stable even at high gamma-irradiation doses. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.