Background: The primary coolant is an essential cooling medium used to control heat in a nuclear power plant. During the oxidation process, Nickel may be released in the primary coolant which increases its contamination. The operational problems and high cost of treatment necessitate the research for some newer methods. The aim of this research is investigation of nickel removal from synthetic nuclear-power-plant by using iron oxide nanoparticles and the effective parameters.

  methods : In this research, zerovalent iron nanoparticles was converted to Iron oxide nanoparticles and its efficiency for Ni(II) ion removal in synthetic coolant water batch system was studied. Also the impact of effective parameters including iron oxide nanoparticles concentration, solution pH, and agitation time were investigated and absorption isotherm and kinetic model reaction were determined.

  Results: STM images indicate that the particles size is lass than 40 nm. The complete removal was in primary pH of the solution, t=4h, and C=40g/l. In alkaline pH, t=4h, C=1g/l were obtained with maximum removal. Ni(II) absorption at absorbent C= 35g/L and pH = 2.71 obeys Langmuir isotherm and the kinetic reaction is peso-second-order.

  Conclusion: The results of the study show that increasing pH in alkaline condition, hightens removal efficiency. The reason is that when the pH of the solution is above the isoelectric point, the oxide surface becomes negatively charged and can form surface complexes with cations (e.g., metal ions). In optimal condition, iron oxide nanoparticles have the potential of purifying coolant water.