Abstract
The capture and safe storage of radioactive iodine (129I or 131I) are of a compelling significance in the generation of nuclear energy and waste storage. Because of their physiochemical properties, Porous Organic Polymers (POPs) are considered to be one of the most sought classes of materials for iodine capture and storage. Herein, we report on the preparation and characterization of two triazine-based, nitrogen-rich, porous organic polymers, NRPOP-1 (SABET = 519 m2 g−1) and NRPOP-2 (SABET = 456 m2 g−1), by reacting 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine or 1,4-bis-(2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazine)-benzene with thieno[2,3-b]thiophene-2,5-dicarboxaldehyde, respectively, and their use in the capture of volatile iodine. NRPOP-1 and NRPOP-2 showed a high adsorption capacity of iodine vapor with an uptake of up to 317 wt % at 80 °C and 1 bar and adequate recyclability. The NRPOPs were also capable of removing up to 87% of iodine from 300 mg L−1 iodine-cyclohexane solution. Furthermore, the iodine-loaded polymers, I2@NRPOP-1 and I2@NRPOP-2, displayed good antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus (ML), Escherichia coli (EC), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA). The synergic functionality of these novel polymers makes them promising materials to the environment and public health.
Highlights
The capture and safe storage of radioactive iodine (129I or 131I) are of a compelling significance in the generation of nuclear energy and waste storage
Surface area and pore size distribution of the synthesized material were measured by using nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherm (Quantochrome analyzer at 77 K), which were calculated by using Braunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and the non-local density functional theory (NLDFT) methods, respectively
The successful formation of the NRPOPs was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy (Fig. 1a)
Summary
The capture and safe storage of radioactive iodine (129I or 131I) are of a compelling significance in the generation of nuclear energy and waste storage. To reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide ( CO2) in the atmosphere, which is produced mainly by fossil fuel power plants, and meet the world energy demands, many countries have optioned for nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels given its high energy density, minimal carbon footprints, and low working c ost[1,2,3] Despite such advantages, exhaust fumes from nuclear power plants contain a significant amount of radioactive species that include 129I and 131I, leading to major environmental and biological implications[3,4]. The effects of heteroatoms and phenyl rings on the chemical and structural properties of the polymers and their contribution to iodine adsorption are discussed Aside from their excellent iodine adsorption, the iodine-loaded NRPOPs ( I2@NRPOPs) showed good antibacterial effectiveness against a wide range of bacteria that included Micrococcus luteus (ML), Escherichia coli (EC), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSA) through their release of iodine. Our study suggests that other classes of porous materials, such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs), would be reliable adsorbents for the capture and reutilization of pollutants in the fields of public health and chemical industry
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