Efficient removal of uranium from diluted aqueous solution with hydroxypyridone functionalized polyethylene nonwoven fabrics

Publication date: June 2020Source: Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Volume 171Author(s): Mingxing Zhang, Mengjia Yuan, Maojiang Zhang, Minglei Wang, Junchang Chen, Rong Li, Long Qiu, Xinxin Feng, Jiangtao Hu, Guozhong WuAbstractIt is still a challenge that directly reducing the uranium concentration of wastewater or radioactive wastes by adsorption to or below the criterion (30 ppb), especially from the system of low uranium concentration due to weak affinity and bad collection. Herein we have successfully introduced hydroxypyridone (HOPO) groups onto polyethylene nonwoven fabric (PENWF) surface denoted as PENWF-HOPO by radiation graft technology and follow-up two-step chemical reactions to deeply remove uranium from low-concentration (500 ppb) aqueous solutions. The chemical structures, surface morphologies, and thermal stabilities of the original and modified PENWF were characterized in detail by FT-IR, XPS, SEM, and TGA, with the results indicating successful preparation and good thermal stability of the adsorption material used under ambient conditions. Batch adsorption results show that the adsorbent removes the uranium almost completely within 12 h in a wide pH (3–10) range, and the adsorption obeys the Langmuir isotherm. Desorption and regeneration confirms its excellent regeneration and reusability (5 cycles). Importantly, this adsorbent could efficiently remove uranium (more than 97% removal ratio) from diluted aqueous solution, in which contains a serial of com...

Source: Radiation Physics and Chemistry - February 8, 2020 Category: Physics Source Type: research