Sorption of MO4 - (M = Tc, Re) on Mg/Al Layered Double Hydroxide by Anion Exchange

Removal of radionuclide 99Tc from aqueous solution by various adsorbents: A review

Technetium isotope 99Tc is a main radioactive waste produced in the process of nuclear reaction, which has the characteristics of long half-life and strong environmental mobility, and can be bio-accumulated in organisms, resulting in serious threat to human health and ecosystem. Adsorption method is widely used in the field of removing radionuclides from water due to the advantages of high treatment rate, simple and mature industrial application. In this review paper, the recent advances in research and application of various adsorption materials for 99Tc pollution treatment were summarized and analyzed for the first time, including inorganic adsorbents, such as activated carbon, zero-valent iron, metallic minerals, clay minerals, layered double hydroxides (LDHs), tin-based materials, and sulfur-based materials; organic adsorbents, such as porous organic polymers (POPs), covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and ion exchange resin; and biological adsorbents, such as biopolymers (chitosan, cellulose, alginate), and microbial cells. The performance characteristics and the adsorption kinetics and isotherms of various adsorption materials were discussed. This review could deepen the understanding of the adsorptive removal of 99Tc from aqueous solution, and provide a reference for the future research in this field.

Superiority of the Supramolecular Halogen Bond Receptor over Its H-Bond Analogue toward the Efficient Extraction of Perrhenate from Water

A halogen bond-based water-soluble tetrapodal iodoimidazolium receptor, (L-I)(4Br), exhibited a high degree of efficiency (∼96%) in extracting ReO₄^- from 100% aqueous medium within a wide range of concentrations and of pH values along with excellent reusability. The solid-state X-ray diffraction study showed the trapping of ReO₄^- by (L-I)(4Br) via the Re-O····I halogen bonding interaction. XPS studies also suggested the interaction between I and ReO₄^- through polarization of the electron density of I atoms by ReO₄^-. (L-I)(4Br) is found to be capable of retaining its high extraction efficiency in the presence of competing anions such as F^-, Cl^-, I^-, SO₄^2-, H₂PO₄^-, CO₃^2-, NO₃^-, BF₄^-, ClO₄^-, Cr₂O₇^2-, and a mixture of these anions. Interestingly, (L-I)(4Br) was found to be superior in ReO₄^- extraction as compared to its hydrogen-bond donor analogue, (L-H)(4Br), as confirmed by a series of control experiments and theoretical calculations. Our synthesized dipodal and tripodal halogen bond donor receptors and their H-analogues validated the superiority of these classes of supramolecular halogen bond donor receptors over their hydrogen-bond analogues. (L-I)(4Br) also showed superior practical applicability in terms of the removal of ReO₄^- at anion concentrations as low as ∼100 ppm, which was a major shortcoming of (L-H)(4Br).

A Promising 1,3,5-Triazine-Based Anion Exchanger for Perrhenate Binding: Crystal Structures of Its Chloride, Nitrate and Perrhenate Salts

The reaction of pyridine with cyanuric chloride was studied under microwave activation as well as in the presence of silver nitrate. The product of hydrolysis containing two pyridinium rings and chloride anion was isolated. The structures of these anion exchanger salts with chloride, nitrate and perrhenate anions are discussed.

Technetium immobilization by materials through sorption and redox-driven processes: A literature review

The objective of this review is to evaluate materials for use as a barrier or other deployed technology to treat technetium-99 (Tc) in the subsurface. To achieve this, Tc interactions with different materials are considered within the context of remediation strategies. Several naturally occurring materials are considered for Tc immobilization, including iron oxides and low solubility sulfide phases. Synthetic materials are also considered, and include tin-based materials, sorbents (resins, activated carbon, modified clays), layered double hydroxides, metal organic frameworks, cationic polymeric networks and aerogels. All of the materials were evaluated for their potential in-situ and ex-situ performance with respect to long-term Tc uptake and immobilization, environmental impacts and deployability. Other factors such as the technology maturity, cost and availability were also considered. Given the difficulty of evaluating materials under different experimental conditions (e.g., solution chemistry, redox conditions, solution to solid ratio, Tc concentration etc.), a subset of these materials will be selected, on the basis of this review, for subsequent standardized batch loading tests.

Recent advances in layered double hydroxide-based nanomaterials for the removal of radionuclides from aqueous solution

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), one of the most important two-dimensional layered compounds, have enabled massive developments in effective pollution treatments. Their derivative materials have also attracted multidisciplinary attention owing to the intrinsic advantages of their moderate chemiostability, low cost and nontoxicity. Over the past few decades, significant advances have been made in the synthesis of novel LDH-based composites and the optimization of characterization techniques. In this review, we give an overview of the recent advances in LDH-based nanomaterials, from a brief introduction to their preparation and modification methods to an overview of their application in the removal of radionuclides and an exploration of their underlying adsorption mechanisms. In the end, a summary and outlook are also briefly addressed. This review intends to provide deep insight into the design of high-performance LDH-based materials for the potential elimination of radionuclides from aqueous solutions during environmental pollution cleanup.

Efficient uptake of perrhenate/pertechnenate from aqueous solutions by the bifunctional anion-exchange resin

In this work, batch experiments were carried out to explore the sorption properties for perrhenate (ReO4 −, a surrogate for TcO4 −) by two types of commercial bifunctional anion-exchange resins (Purolite A530E and A532E). It is found that these two bifunctional anion-exchange resins could rapidly remove ReO4 − from aqueous solution within 150 min and the maximum sorption capacity for ReO4 − reached as high as 707 and 446 mg/g for Purolite A530E and A532E, respectively. The sorption properties were independent of pH over a wide range from 1 to 13. More importantly, both Purolite A530E and A532E exhibited excellent selectivity for the removal of ReO4 − in the presence of large excess of NO3 − and SO4 2−. Finally, the removal percentage of ReO4 − by these two resins could be >90% and 80%, respectively, from the Hanford low-level waste melter off-gas scrubber simulant stream. Such high selectivity of Purolite A530E and A532E for the removal of ReO4 − might be due to the presence of the long-chain group of –[N(Hexyl)3]+, which favored hydrophobic and large anions such as ReO4 −/TcO4 − rather than NO3 −.

Thermal Decomposition Studies of Layered Metal Hydroxynitrates (Metal: Cu, Zn, Cu/Co, and Zn/Co)

Layered metal hydroxynitrates and mixed metal hydroxynitrates (copper/cobalt hydroxynitrates and zinc/cobalt hydroxynitrates at different mole ratios) were synthesized by hydrolysis of urea and metal nitrates at 140°C. Layered metal hydroxyl nitrates derive their structure from brucite mineral and generally crystallize in hexagonal and monoclinic phases. Isothermal decomposition studies of Cu2(OH)3(NO3), Co2(OH)3(NO3), Cu1.5Co0.5(OH)3(NO3), Cu1.34Co0.66(OH)3(NO3), Zn5(OH)8(NO3)2(H2O)2, Zn3.75Co1.25(OH)8(NO3)2(H2O)2, and Zn3.35Co1.65(OH)8(NO3)2(H2O)2 samples were carried out at different intervals of temperature and the structural transformations during the process were monitored using powder X-ray diffractograms. Biphasic mixture of metal hydroxynitrate/metal oxide is observed in case of cobalt/zinc based layered hydroxynitrates, while copper hydroxynitrate or copper/cobalt metal hydroxynitrate decomposes in a single step. The decomposition temperatures of layered metal hydroxynitrates and mixed layered metal hydroxides depend on the method of preparation, their composition and the nature of metal ion, and their coordination.

Ethyl thiosemicarbazide intercalated organophilic calcined hydrotalcite as a potential sorbent for the removal of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions from aqueous solutions

This work was conducted to determine the practicability of using a new adsorbent 4-ethyl thiosemicarbazide intercalated, organophilic calcined hydrotalcite (ETSC-OHTC) for the removal of uranium (U(VI)), and thorium (Th(IV)) from water and wastewater. The FTIR analysis helped in realizing the involvement of nitrogen and sulphur atoms of ETSC in binding the metal ions through complex formation. Parameters like adsorbent dosage, solution pH, initial metal ions concentration, contact time and ionic strength, that influence adsorption phenomenon, were studied. The optimum pH for maximum adsorption of U(VI) and Th(IV) was found to be in the range 4.0-6.0. The contact time required for reaching equilibrium was 4 hr. The pseudo second-order kinetic model was the best fit to represent the kinetic data. Analysis of the equilibrium adsorption data using Langmuir, Freundlich and Sips models showed that the Freundlich model was well suited to describe the metal ions adsorption. The K(F) values were 25.43 and 29.11 mg/g for U(VI) and Th(IV), respectively, at 30 degrees C. The adsorbent can be regenerated effectively from U(VI) and Th(IV) loaded ones using 0.01 mol/L HCl. The new adsorbent was quite stable for many cycles, without much reduction in its adsorption capacity towards the metals.

Prediction of uranium and technetium sorption during titration of contaminated acidic groundwater

This study investigates uranium and technetium sorption onto aluminum and iron hydroxides during titration of acidic groundwater. The contaminated groundwater exhibits oxic conditions with high concentrations of NO(3)(-), SO(4)(2-), U, Tc, and various metal cations. More than 90% of U and Tc was removed from the aqueous phase as Al and Fe precipitated above pH 5.5, but was partially resolublized at higher pH values. An equilibrium hydrolysis and precipitation reaction model adequately described variations in aqueous concentrations of metal cations. An anion exchange reaction model was incorporated to simulate sulfate, U and Tc sorption onto variably charged (pH-dependent) Al and Fe hydroxides. Modeling results indicate that competitive sorption/desorption on mixed mineral phases needs to be considered to adequately predict U and Tc mobility. The model could be useful for future studies of the speciation of U, Tc and co-existing ions during pre- and post-groundwater treatment practices.

Sorption of99MoO42-ions on commercial hydrotalcites

99MoO42-sorption behavior on 3 commercial hydrotalcites, produced by Sasol Chemie, was studied through batch experiments. Only one of them showed high sorption capacity. This product, the MG70 was identified by XRD diffraction analysis as hydrotalcite (Mg6Al2(OH)16CO3·4H2O), while the other two, MG50 and MG30, were identified mainly as magnesium aluminum hydroxide hydrate, MgAl2(OH)14·3H2O. Calcined MG70 (CMG70) was used to retain about 298.17±8.3 mg of99MoMoO42-(MG70-99MoO4). When this material was packed in a glass column, the generated99mTc was eluted by using NaCl or HNO3aqueous solutions. Saline solutions eluted99mTc with considerable amounts of99Mo while 0.1 M HNO3eluted99mTc together with a such small amount of99Mo that the99Mo μCi/99mTc mCi ratios are close to the value recommended by the American Pharmacopeia.

Application of layered double hydroxides for removal of oxyanions: a review

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are lamellar mixed hydroxides containing positively charged main layers and undergoing anion exchange chemistry. In recent years, many studies have been devoted to investigating the ability of LDHs to remove harmful oxyanions such as arsenate, chromate, phosphate, etc. from contaminated waters by both surface adsorption and anion exchange of the oxyanions for interlayer anions in the LDH structure. This review article provides an overview of the LDH synthesis methods, the LDH characterization techniques, and the recent advancement that has been achieved in oxyanion removal using LDHs, highlighting areas of consensus and currently unresolved issues. Experimental studies relating to the sorption behaviors of LDHs with various oxyanions, and the kinetic models adopted to explain the adsorption rate of oxyanions from aqueous solution onto LDHs, have been comprehensively reviewed. This review discusses several key factors such as pH, competitive anions, temperature, etc., that influence the oxyanion adsorption on LDHs. The reusability of LDHs is discussed and some mechanistic studies of oxyanion adsorption on LDHs are highlighted. The sorption capacities of LDHs for various oxyanions are also compared with those of other adsorbents. In addition, this review critically identifies the shortcomings in current research on LDHs, such as the common weaknesses in the adopted methodology, discrepancies among reported results and ambiguous conclusions. Possible improvement of LDHs and potential areas for future application of LDHs are also proposed.

Compositional and structural control on anion sorption capability of layered double hydroxides (LDHs)

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have shown great promise as anion getters. In this paper, we demonstrate that the sorption capability of a LDH for a specific oxyanion can be greatly increased by appropriately manipulating material composition and structure. We have synthesized a large set of LDH materials with various combinations of metal cations, interlayer anions, and molar ratios of divalent cation M(II) to trivalent cation M(III). The synthesized materials have then been tested systematically for their sorption capabilities for pertechnetate (TcO(-)(4)). It is discovered that for a given interlayer anion (either CO(2-)(3) or NO(-)(3)) the Ni-Al LDH with a Ni/Al ratio of 3:1 exhibits the highest sorption capability among all the materials tested. The sorption of TcO(-)(4) on M(II)-M(III)-CO(3) LDHs may be dominated by the edge sites of LDH layers and correlated with the basal spacing d(003) of the materials, which increases with the decreasing radii of both divalent and trivalent cations. The sorption reaches its maximum when the layer spacing is just large enough for a pertechnetate anion to fit into a cage space among three adjacent octahedra of metal hydroxides at the edge. Furthermore, the sorption is found to increase with the crystallinity of the materials. For a given combination of metal cations and an interlayer anion, the best crystalline LDH material is obtained generally with a M(II)/M(III) ratio of 3:1. Synthesis with readily exchangeable nitrate as an interlayer anion greatly increases the sorption capability of a LDH material for pertechnetate. The work reported here will help to establish a general structure-property relationship for the related layered materials.

New method of treating dilute mineral acids using magnesium-aluminum oxide

Mineral acids, such as H(3)PO(4), H(2)SO(4), HCl, and HNO(3,) were treated with magnesium-aluminum oxide (Mg-Al oxide), which behaved as a neutralizer and fixative of anions. Anion removal increased with increasing Mg-Al oxide quantity, time, Mg/Al molar ratio, and initial acid concentration. Up to 95% removal of anions was achieved in 0.5 N acids using a stoichiometric quantity of Mg(0.80)Al(0.20)O(1.10) for H(3)PO(4), 1.75 stoichiometric quantities for H(2)SO(4), or 2.5 stoichiometric quantities for HCl or HNO(3) at 20 degrees C over a period of 6 h. The final solutions were found to have a pH in the range of 8-12. Selectivity of acid removal was found to follow the following order: H(3)PO(4) > H(2)SO(4) > HCl > HNO(3). The equivalent of acid removal per 1 g of Mg-Al oxide decreased as the Mg/Al molar ratio of Mg-Al oxide increased.