Study on the acid–base surface property of the magnetite graphene oxide and its usage for the removal of radiostrontium from aqueous solution

Abstract

Abstract Acid–base titrations of magnetite/graphene oxide (M/GO) and Sr(II) adsorption onto M/GO were operated to investigate surface properties of M/GO and surface complexation bonding interactions between Sr(II) and M/GO. Experimental results showed that Sr(II) adsorption onto M/GO was facilitated by a high pH value and a low ionic strength. Modeling results exhaustively explained the changes of adsorption morphological at different pH and ionic strengths. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔH ○, ΔS ○, and ΔG ○) calculated from the adsorption isotherms showed the adsorption of Sr(II) onto M/GO composite was an endothermic and spontaneous process. M/GO could be separated by magnetic separation from aqueous solution in large scale. The adsorption performance suggests M/GO could be a promising adsorbent material for the preconcentration and separation of radiostrontium from aqueous solution in radionuclide pollution cleanup.