Collection of lanthanides and actinides from natural waters with conventional and nanoporous sorbents

Bifunctional polymeric microspheres for efficient uranium sorption from aqueous solution: synergistic interaction of positive charge and amidoxime group

Polymeric microspheres with a positive charge and amidoxime group are synthesized for uranium capture, and the synergistic interaction leads to highly selective and fast adsorption.

Effective uranium(vi) sorption from alkaline media using bi-functionalized silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles

A bi-functionalized magnetic iron oxide composite has been employed for uranium(vi) sorption from alkaline media. The maximum sorption capacity was observed at pH 9.0 with a capacity of 70.7 mg g⁻¹atc_U(vi)initial= 21.7 mg L⁻¹.

Americium(III) capture using phosphonic acid-functionalized silicas with different mesoporous morphologies: adsorption behavior study and mechanism investigation by EXAFS/XPS

Efficient capture of highly toxic radionuclides with long half-lives such as Americium-241 is crucial to prevent radionuclides from diffusing into the biosphere. To reach this purpose, three different types of mesoporous silicas functionalized with phosphonic acid ligands (SBA-POH, MCM-POH, and BPMO-POH) were synthesized via a facile procedure. The structure, surface chemistry, and micromorphology of the materials were fully characterized by (31)P/(13)C/(29)Si MAS NMR, XPS, and XRD analysis. Efficient adsorption of Am(III) was realized with a fast rate to reach equilibrium (within 10 min). Influences including structural parameters and functionalization degree on the adsorption behavior were investigated. Slope analysis of the equilibrium data suggested that the coordination with Am(III) involved the exchange of three protons. Moreover, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, in combination with XPS survey, was employed for an in-depth probe into the binding mechanism by using Eu(III) as a simulant due to its similar coordination behavior and benign property. The results showed three phosphonic acid ligands were coordinated to Eu(III) in bidentate fashion, and Eu(P(O)O)3(H2O) species were formed with the Eu-O coordination number of 7. These phosphonic acid-functionalized mesoporous silicas should be promising for the treatment of Am-containing radioactive liquid waste.

Adsorption-induced crystallization of U-rich nanocrystals on nano-Mg(OH)(2) and the aqueous uranyl enrichment

The mechanism of the interaction between nano-Mg(OH)2 adsorbent and uranyl in water was studied. At trace levels, the uranyl is adsorbed as a monolayer on nano-Mg(OH)2, and occupied a small proportion of the adsorption sites. As the uranyl concentration crosses over a threshold, continuous increase of adsorption capacity takes place. It indicates that, by taking the pre-adsorbed uranyl as the nucleation centers, the additional uranyl crystallizes and forms U-rich nanocrystals well-scattered on the surface of nano-Mg(OH)2. A strategy of inducing fast crystal growth of nano-Mg(OH)2 to micrometer-sized Na2Mg(CO3)2 enables the desorption and enrichment of uranyl. The recycling and reuse of nano-Mg(OH)2 can be achieved simultaneously. The finding in this work provides fundamental understanding of the efficient usage of nano-Mg(OH)2 in practical applications.

Mesoporous silica SBA-15 functionalized with phosphonate derivatives for uranium uptake

Good selective sorption ability of SBA-15-PA for U(VI).

Cu²⁺ sequestration by amine-functionalized silica nanotubes

A novel method for Cu(2+) sequestration in Cu(2+) aqueous solution has been demonstrated using amine-functionalized double-walled silica nanotubes (DWSNTs). Herein, the precipitation method and the adsorption method are combined to remove Cu(2+) in the Cu(2+) aqueous solution. Primary (1°), secondary (2°), tertiary (3°), di-, tri-amines are immobilized on the surface of DWSNT as the adsorption site. The results show that the Cu(2+) adsorption amount on the amine-functionalized DWSNTs is in the following order: tri-amine>di-amine>1° amine>2° amine>3° amine. The complexed Cu(2+)s with the amine-functionalized DWSNTs become Cu(OH)2 crystals due to the reaction with OH(-)s dissociated from water. Thus, the amine-functionalized DWSNTs show the superior sequestration capacity of Cu(2+) in the Cu(2+) aqueous solution owing to the Cu(OH)2 crystals growth on them. FT-IR, FEG-SEM, HR-TEM, and XRD studies demonstrate the mechanism of the Cu(2+) adsorption and the Cu(OH)2 crystals growth. The crystallization-technique of the heavy metal ion on the amine-functionalized DWSNTs is also expected to have potential applications such as the facile synthesis of nano- and microparticles, and the metal catalyst supporter.