The adsorption of Sr(II) and Cs(I) ions by irradiated Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Recent trends in the phytoremediation of radionuclide contamination of soil by cesium and strontium: Sources, mechanisms and methods: A comprehensive review

This comprehensive review examines recent trends in phytoremediation strategies to address soil radionuclide contamination by cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr). Radionuclide contamination, resulting from natural processes and nuclear-related activities such as accidents and the operation of nuclear facilities, poses significant risks to the environment and human health. Cs and Sr, prominent radionuclides involved in nuclear accidents, exhibit chemical properties that contribute to their toxicity, including easy uptake, high solubility, and long half-lives. Phytoremediation is emerging as a promising and environmentally friendly approach to mitigate radionuclide contamination by exploiting the ability of plants to extract toxic elements from soil and water. This review focuses specifically on the removal of 90Sr and 137Cs, addressing their health risks and environmental implications. Understanding the mechanisms governing plant uptake of radionuclides is critical and is influenced by factors such as plant species, soil texture, and physicochemical properties. Phytoremediation not only addresses immediate contamination challenges but also provides long-term benefits for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development. By improving soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, phytoremediation is in line with global sustainability goals and environmental protection initiatives. This review aims to provide insights into effective strategies for mitigating environmental hazards associated with radionuclide contamination and to highlight the importance of phytoremediation in environmental remediation efforts.

High efficient removal of lead(II) and cadmium(II) ions from multi-component aqueous solutions using polyacrylic acid acrylonitrile talc nanocomposite

This study is interested in the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), Co(II), Zn(II), and Sr(II) onto polyacrylic acid acrylonitrile talc P(AA-AN)-talc nanocomposite. P(AA-AN)-talc was fabricated using γ-irradiation-initiated polymerization at 50 kGy. Different analytical tools were used to investigate the functional groups, morphology, particle size, and structure of this composite. The ability of P(AA-AN)-talc to capture (Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Sr²⁺) as multi-component aqueous solutions was performed by a batch method. Saturation capacity and the effect of (agitating time, pH, initial metal concentrations, and temperature) were investigated. The distribution coefficients at different pHs have order: Pb²⁺  > Cd²⁺  > Co²⁺  > Zn²⁺  > Sr²⁺. The saturation capacity decreases by increasing heating temperatures. Reaction kinetic obeys the pseudo-second-order model. Sorption isotherms are more relevant to a Langmuir isotherm, and the monolayer sorption capacity is closed to saturation capacity. Thermodynamic parameters (∆G˚, ∆H˚, and ∆S˚) were endothermic and spontaneous. P(AA-AN)-talc is used for loading and recovery of studied cations in the column system. The study confirms that P(AA-AN)-talc is a promised composite for the sorption of the studied ions from aqueous solutions and should be considered as potential material for decontaminating these ions.

Biosorption of strontium ions from simulated high-level liquid waste by living Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this study, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) was modified by γ-ray. The RNA-seq results reflect that the high γ-ray energies could change some gene fragments, such as deletion, recombination, and mutation. The biosorption of strontium ions (Sr²⁺) to different types of S. cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae (K-0), modified S. cerevisiae (Y-7), and non-living S. cerevisiae (H-K)) from the simulated high-level liquid waste (S-HLLW) was assessed at different experimental conditions. The sorption experimental results show that, under an appropriate condition, γ-ray radiation can enhance its biosorption capacity slightly of Sr²⁺ to S. cerevisiae. The maximum metal uptake and efficiency of Y-7 under S-HLLW were 11.656 mg g^-1 and 37.91% at 32 h (wet weight), respectively. They decreased to 9.46 mg g^-1 and 30.76% under radiation conditions. SEM-EDX and TEM analysis indicates that Sr²⁺ was adsorbed both on the cellular surface and the inner parts of the cells. Our experimental results fit well to the Langmuir and Freundlich model isotherms (r² > 0.94), and the maximum biosorption capacity values reached q_max > 24.74 mg g^-1 at 32 °C. Negative values of ΔG⁰ and positive values of ΔH⁰ were observed, indicating the spontaneous and endothermic nature of Sr²⁺ biosorption on modified S. cerevisiae. The biosorption kinetics follow a pseudo-second-order equation at 32 °C (r² > 0.94). The desorption efficiency of Sr²⁺ adsorbed onto Y-7 was 7.65 ± 0.52%, 76.51 ± 2.13%, and 65.62 ± 2.42% by deionized water, 1 M HCl, and 0.1 M EDTA-Na, respectively. However, they were lower than H-K (18.82, 83.32, and 73.32%). Our findings demonstrate that living S. cerevisiae (Y-7) is a promising sorbent material for the treatment of radioactive process streams.