Abstract
A novel microporous three-dimensional pomegranate-like micro-scavenger cage (P-MSC) composite has been synthesized by immobilization of iron phyllosilicates clay onto a Prussian blue (PB)/alginate matrix and tested for the removal of radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. Experimental results show that the adsorption capacity increases with increasing the inactive cesium concentration from 1 ppm to 30 ppm, which may be attributed to greater number of adsorption sites and further increase in the inactive cesium concentration has no effect. The P-MSC composite exhibit maximum adsorption capacity of 108.06 mg of inactive cesium per gram of adsorbent. The adsorption isotherm is better fitted to the Freundlich model than the Langmuir model. In addition, kinetics studies show that the adsorption process is consistent with a pseudo second-order model. Furthermore, at equilibrium, the composite has an outstanding adsorption capacity of 99.24% for the radioactive cesium from aqueous solution. This may be ascribed to the fact that the AIP clay played a substantial role in protecting PB release from the P-MSC composite by cross-linking with alginate to improve the mechanical stability. Excellent adsorption capacity, easy separation, and good selectivity make the adsorbent suitable for the removal of radioactive cesium from seawater around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents.
Highlights
The tsunami that followed the earthquake on March 11, 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant resulted in releasing a radioactive contaminant into the seawater that contains highly radioactive cesium, which is currently present in a wide area of eastern Japan after the tsunami caused a power outage, a subsequent loss of control, and a cooling system failure[1,2]
This study aimed to design and synthesize a new microporous three-dimensional (3D) network composite composed of Prussian blue (PB) encapsulated by alginate beads, which were reinforced by cross-linking aminopropyl-functionalized iron phyllosilicates (AIP) clay, for high adsorption and easy separation of radioactive cesium from contaminated water
PB nanoparticles dispersed in alginate solution and AIP clay dispersed in aqueous solution were prepared separately
Summary
The tsunami that followed the earthquake on March 11, 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant resulted in releasing a radioactive contaminant into the seawater that contains highly radioactive cesium, which is currently present in a wide area of eastern Japan after the tsunami caused a power outage, a subsequent loss of control, and a cooling system failure[1,2]. A salt of alginic acid, is a polysaccharide biopolymer derived from brown algae, and it is composed of β-1, 4-linked D-mannuronic acids, and α-1,4-linked L-guluronic acids arranged in a chain[14,15] It has carboxylic groups, which are the most frequent acidic functional group on the chain, and it has affinities for metal cations[16]. This study aimed to design and synthesize a new microporous three-dimensional (3D) network composite composed of PB encapsulated by alginate beads, which were reinforced by cross-linking aminopropyl-functionalized iron phyllosilicates (AIP) clay, for high adsorption and easy separation of radioactive cesium from contaminated water. The results revealed that the composite adsorbent was highly efficient in the removal of radioactive cesium because of the good ion-exchange property of PB and the excellent adsorption property of the alginate/AIP clay network. Owing to the bio-compatible nature of alginate and AIP clay[5], they may form a potential class of adsorbents for environmental remediation when fabricated suitably
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