Process for removal of aluminum oxides from aqueous media

1. A method for removing solubilized aluminum oxides from an aqueous medium comprising:

providing the aqueous medium containing radioactive waste and solubilized aluminum oxides;

adding a lithium salt to the aqueous medium to react with the solubilized aluminum oxides to form a precipitated lithium-aluminate complex;

collecting the precipitated lithium-aluminate complex from the aqueous medium; and

optionally washing the lithium-aluminate complex.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of Li 2 CO 3 , LiHCO 3 , LiOH, LiNO 2 , LiCl, LiF, Li 3 PO 4 , Li 2 SO 4 , LiNO 3 , LiAc and mixtures thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium salt is LiNO 3 .

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminum oxide is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Al(OH) 3 , AlO(OH) and mixtures thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminum oxide is Al(OH) 3 .

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous medium further comprises a dissolved inorganic salt selected from the group consisting of NaNO 3 , NaNO 2 , Na 2 CO 3 , Na 2 SO 4 , NaF, Na 3 PO 4 , NaOH, KOH, Na 2 CrO 4 and mixtures thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lithium-aluminate complex is LAHCS.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the aqueous medium during the adding step is at least about 50° C. to about 100° C.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising contacting the aqueous medium with a magnesium salt.