Effect of organic acids on sorption of uranyl ions in solution onto ZrP2O7

Abstract

Hydration of zirconium diphosphate (ZrP2O7) conduced to formation of active sites in solid/liquid interface. In ZrP2O7/NaClO4 0.5 M suspensions, active sites and their acidity constants are quite determined but the presence of some impurities is now studied. This work was conducted to determine the surface properties changes produced by oxalic and citric acid during the hydration process. Moreover the presence of organic acids with ZrP2O7 modified reveals an increase in uranium sorption constants. The zirconium diphosphate has been characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Particle induced X-ray emission and Neutron (PIXE). Furthermore, the specific surface area, measured by the BET method, was 3.5 m2/g. The pH corresponding to the isoelectric point, determined by Zeta Potential measurements and mass titration was 3.6. The sites density calculated using titration curves was around of 5.37 s/nm2 for NaClO4 0.5 M, 13.71 s/nm2 for NaClO4 0.5 M/citric acid 0.1 M and 7.33 s/nm2 NaClO4 0.5 M/oxalic acid 0.1 M. The surface acidity constants and species distribution in surface were calculated by means of simulation of the titration curves with the FITEQL code (constant capacitance model), for ZrO and PO amphoteric sites of ZrP2O7. The uranyl sorption edge was determined for NaClO4 0.5 M. It spreads between pH 3 and 4.5 for complete sorption according to the previously published results. In the ZrP2O7–citrate modified surface, the uranyl sorption edge begin at pH 2 and was almost complete at pH 3.2 while ZrP2O7–oxalate modified surface edge started at 50% of sorption at pH of 1.5 and was complete at pH 3.