Uptake of Cs and Sr radionuclides within oleic acid coated nanomagnetite–hematite composite

Abstract

Nano-sized magnetic composite sorbent material like nanomagnetite – nanohematite has been synthesized for uptake of cesium and strontium ions from low level environmental effluents in effective decontamination from waste water. Synthesis of material was based on co-precipitation route and in situ coating of oleic acid on magnetite–hematite nanocomposite. Magnetic properties were studied for both the uncoated as prepared and coated nanocomposite materials. The magnetization curves showed no hysteresis or remnant magnetization. Both the materials exhibited super-paramagnetism. Saturation magnetization of the coated nanocomposite was found to be 30 emu/g whereas for as prepared nanocomposite it was 64 emu/g. Detailed characterizations of the materials was carried out by X ray diffraction and Transmission electron microscopic techniques and the grain sizes were found to vary between 10 and 15 nm range. Sorption experiments on cesium and strontium were carried out by batch mode equilibrium study. The uptake studies were performed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for cesium ions and inductively coupled Plasma – Atomic Emission Spectroscopy for strontium ions. Size distributions of the particle were measure through Small Angle X ray Scattering (SAXS) experiment. Shifting in weak repulsive potential facilitates enhanced sorption for more period of time in stable condition in comparison of uncoated nanocomposite which forms larger aggregates.