Sorption Studies Research Articles

Noncovalent Grafting of Molecular Complexes to Solid Supports by Counterion Confinement.

Grafting molecular complexes on solid supports is a facile strategy to synthesize advanced materials. Here, we present a general and simple method for noncovalent grafting on charge-neutral surfaces. Our method is based on the generic principle of counterion confinement in surface micropores. We demonstrate the power of this approach using a set of three platinum complexes: Pt1 (Pt1L4(BF4)2, L = p-picoline), Pt2 (Pt2L4(BF4)4, L = 2,6-bis(pyridine-3-ylethynyl)pyridine), and Pt12 (Pt12L24(BF4)24, L = 4,4'-(5-methoxy-1,3-phenylene)dipyridine). These complexes share the same counterion (BF4-) but differ vastly in their size, charge, and structure. Imaging of the grafted materials by aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-HAADF-STEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) showed that our method results in a homogeneous distribution of both complexes and counterions. Nitrogen sorption studies indicated a decrease in the available surface area and micropore volume, providing evidence for counterion confinement in the surface micropores. Following the adsorption of the complexes over time showed that this is a two-step process: fast surface adsorption by van der Waals forces was followed by migration over the surface and surface binding by counterion confinement. Regarding the binding of the complexes to the support, we found that the surface-adsorbate binding constant (KS) increases quadratically with the number of anions per complex up to KS = 1.6 × 106 M-1 equaling ΔG°ads = -35 kJ mol-1 for the surface binding of Pt12. Overall, our method has two important advantages: first, it is general, as you can anchor different complexes (with different charges, counterions, and/or sizes); second, it promotes the distribution of the complexes on the support surface, creating well-distributed sites that can be used in various applications across several areas of chemistry.

Insight to the cesium entrapment by natural shale: implications to geological disposal of nuclear waste

ABSTRACT The knowledge of radionuclides sorption behavior of various site-specific heterogeneous geosystems is essential for developing different clean-up strategies and predicting the radiological risks for long term. The present study is aimed at understanding the mineralogical and textural characteristics of natural shale rock (sampled from Kachchh Basin of Gujarat, India) and its correlation with cesium (Cs) sorption behavior. The modal mineralogical composition, textural attributes, petrophysical properties, surface functionalities and morphology of shale were evaluated. Clay minerals (smectite, kaolinite and illite) constitute more than 40% of the shale along with the major component- quartz. A comprehensive Cs batch sorption study performed at varying experimental parameters demonstrated that the maximum Cs retention of shale was 34.80 ± 2.85 mg g−1 in the studied concentration range. Sorption equilibrium data agreed well with Freundlich isotherm, highlighting the heterogeneity of shale. Variation in solution pH (in the range of 6–10) during sorption demonstrated the buffering of solution in near neutral range indicating the role of cations (available in the interlayers of clay minerals) in Cs uptake. Alternatively, the presence of illite mineral in the shale with known frayed edge sites contributed to the irreversibility of sorption event. The present studies illustrate the potential of shale as host rock for its application in nuclear waste management.

Elaboration and characterization of molybdenum titanium tungsto-phosphate towards the decontamination of radioactive liquid waste from 137 Cs and 85Sr

The crystalline phase of molybdenum titanium tungsto-phosphate (MoTiWPO4) as an inorganic sorbent material was synthesized via the sol–gel method. The physicochemical characteristics of MoTiWPO4 were evaluated by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). MoTiWPO4 sorbent material exhibits a high chemical resistance to HNO3, HCl, and alkaline media. MoTiWPO4 has good thermal stability as it retained about 75.63% of its saturation capacity upon heating at 500 °C. The sorption studies for several metal ions revealed marked high sorption efficiency of MoTiWPO4 towards Cs+ and Sr2+ ions which reached 99% and 95%, respectively. The saturation capacity of MoTiWPO4 for Cs+ and Sr2+ is 113 and 109 mg/g, respectively. MoTiWPO4 is approved to be successfully eliminating both 137Cs and 85Sr from liquid radioactive waste streams by %eff. of 92.5 and 90.3, respectively, in the presence of competing ions from 60Co(divalent) and 152Eu (trivalent), confirming the batch experiment results for the removal of Cs+ and Sr2+ metal ions. Furthermore, the decontamination factor exceeds 13.3 in the case of 137Cs and 10.3 for 85Sr.

Highly efficient solid phase extraction of uranium with TOPO-menthol based eutectic solvent as stationary phase from acidic feed relevant to front-end applications

Novel methods of separation and purification are envisaged for natural uranium, containing 0.7% of fissile 235U, a precious resource that fuels nuclear power plants. The present study demonstrates Solid phase extraction (SPE) of uranium as a sustainable alternative to conventional liquid-liquid extraction, leading to minimisation of organic inventory and enhancement of ease of operation concerning usage of viscous eutectic solvent. Overcoming the issue of the low solubility of organophosphorus extractant tri-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) in a hydrocarbon diluent, the aqueous insoluble, non-ionic eutectic solvent could be prepared with biodegradable menthol having TOPO: menthol mole ratio of 1:2 (MT2), 1:3 (MT3) and 1:4 (MT4). Eutectic solvents were sorbed on radio chemically stable Chromosorb W resin as solid support (MTC2, MTC3, MTC4), with loading of 45% for MTC2 and 40% for both MTC3 and MTC4, confirmed by weight difference and thermogravimetry. Batch sorption studies of U(VI) from nitric acid medium revealed attainment of equilibrium at 60 min., following a pseudo-second-order rate equation, Langmuir adsorption isotherm and a static capacity of 19 mg g−1. The U(VI) uptake was found to increase with the increase in acid molarity indicating solvating mechanism of extraction (KD = 1240 ± 4, 4 M HNO3). Recyclability was established and stripping was effective with 0.5 M HNO3. Column operation was also successfully demonstrated (breakthrough capacity = 18.9 mg g−1). The U(VI) uptake of >98% was indicated for nitric acid-digested crude yellow cake matrices viz. sodium diuranate (SDU), magnesium diuranate (MDU) and heat-treated uranium peroxide (HTUP). For higher matrix content, near complete uranium uptake and suppression of extraction of representative impurities (Fe, Mn, Ni, Ce) was revealed indicating facile uranium separation and purification from matrices relevant to the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Bacteriophage Engineering for Improved Copper Ion Binding.

In this study, fd viruses are genetically modified to display seven cropped versions (H, HG, HGF, HGFA, HGFAN, HGFANV and HGFANVA) of the previously identified Cu(II) specific peptide (HGFANVA). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging reveals the typical filamentous structures of recombinant phages with thicknesses of ≈2-5nm in dry state. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging shows that HGFANVA viruses form larger elongated assemblies than H viruses that are deposited with a mineral layer after Cu(II) treatment. C and N peaks are detected for virus samples through Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses confirming the presence of phage organic material. Cu peak is only detected for engineered viruses after Cu(II) exposure. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analyses show the selective Cu(II) binding of engineered phages. Agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and zeta potential analyses reveal negative surface charges of engineered viral constructs. Positively charged Cytopore beads are coated with bacteriophages and used for Cu(II) ion sorption studies. ICP-MS analyses clearly show the improved Cu(II) binding of engineered viruses with respect to wild-type fd phages. Such bottom-up constructed, genetically engineered virus-based biomaterials may be applied in bioremediation studies targeting metal species from environmental samples.

Study of Sorption of Chlortetracycline Hydrochloride and Its Subsequent Determination by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

Study of Sorption of Chlortetracycline Hydrochloride and Its Subsequent Determination by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

Study of Sorption of Chlortetracycline Hydrochloride and Its Subsequent Determination by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

The work deals with the development of an approach to the determination of chlortetracycline, which combines the preconcentration of the analyte with its subsequent determination by capillary zone electrophoresis. The conditions that ensure the lowest value of the limit of determination for chlortetracycline in aqueous solutions using a Kapel-105M capillary electrophoresis system (Lumex, Russia) are determined, i.e., temperature, time and pressure of sample injection, background electrolyte composition, and detection wavelength. It is shown that the stability of a chlortetracycline solution is maximum at a storage temperature of 0.5°С in the absence of buffer systems or in using a dilute ammonium acetate buffer solution. It is found that the recovery of chlortetracycline by strongly acidic cation exchangers KU-1, KU-2 is higher compared to that by KB-4 and KB-4P2, bearing weakly acidic functional groups. The conditions under which the recovery of the analyte by KU-1 from a phosphate buffer solution is about 90% are determined.

Sorption studies of Tetraoxophosphate (v) ions on some agricultural soils in Akwa Ibom State, eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria

The phosphate sorption capacity regulates principally the phosphorus concentration and available phosphorus in any soil solution. This work aims to study the phosphate sorption characteristics of five agricultural soils in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The phosphate adsorption isotherm was obtained by shaking each soil sample with 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 mgL–1 for 24 h with 20 mL of KH2PO4 in 0.01 M CaCl2 solution. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Van Huay and Temkin isotherms were applied to study the PO43-sorption characteristics of the soil samples. The Freundlich model provided the best choice for phosphate sorption with mean R2 value of 0.9872. Results obtained for the phosphate sorbed (µg g–1soil) with 120 mgL-1 solution, heterogeneity factor of adsorption sites (nF), and the Freundlich constant (KF) (Lg–1) were 101(84.3), 0.515 and 7.355 for Onna soil; 62.8(52.3), 0.641 and 2.464 for Ikot-Amama 2; 60.6(50.5), 0.708 and 3.985 for Ogu-Itumbonuso soil; 59.3(49.5), 0.652 and 2.505 for Ikot-Amama 1 soils; 58.0(48.3), 0.704 and 3.682 for Ikot-Nkon soils, respectively. The equilibrium concentration for phosphates (EC-P) were used as desorption index to determine whether the soils could serve as potential sources for their bioavailability to plants and results ranged from 5.0 to 9.90 mgL–1, indicating high vulnerability to phosphate loss. The relationship between phosphate sorption parameters and soil physicochemical properties showed that the Freundlich adsorption intensity factor, nF, strongly correlated negatively with organic carbon and organic matter (r = -0.953 and -0.947; P<0.01), Fe and Mn (r = -0.911 and -0.812, P<0.05). The EC-P correlated strongly with soil pH(H2O) (r = 0.959, P<0.01), clay (r = 0.913, P<0.05), cation exchange capacity (CEC) (r = -0.824, P<0.05), Mn (r = -0.792, P<0.05) and Fe (r = -0.826, P<0.05). The study illustrated that soil management practices which involves the using organic fertilizers as the basis for PO43- sorption in relation to soil properties can be a useful tool for sustainable crop production and environmental soil-water contamination.

Reticular Synthesis of Flexible Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks: Control of Structural Dynamics and Sorption Properties Through Ligand Functionalization.

An exciting direction in metal-organic frameworks involves the design and synthesis of flexible structures which can reversibly adapt their structure when triggered by external stimuli. Controlling the extent and nature of response in such solids is critical in order to develop custom dynamic materials for advanced applications. Towards this, it is highly important to expand the diversity of existing flexible MOFs, generating novel materials and gain an in-depth understanding of the associated dynamic phenomena, eventually unlocking key structure-property relationships. In the present work, we successfully utilized reticular chemistry for the construction of two novel series of highly crystalline, flexible rare-earth MOFs, RE-thc-MOF-2 and RE-teb-MOF-1. Extensive single-crystal to single-crystal structural analyses coupled with detailed gas and vapor sorption studies, shed light onto the unique responsive behavior. The development of these series is related to the reported RE-thc-MOF-1 solids which were found to display a unique continuous breathing and gas-trapping property. The synthesis of RE-thc-MOF-2 and RE-teb-MOF-1 materials represents an important milestone as they provide important insights into the key factors that control the responsive properties of this fascinating family of flexible materials and demonstrates that it is possible to control their dynamic behavior and the associated gas and vapor sorption properties.

A comparative study of sorption of microamounts of Ra, Po, U, Th, Np and Pa by a thin-layer sorbent based on manganese dioxide

A comparative study of sorption of microamounts of Ra, Po, U, Th, Np and Pa by a thin-layer sorbent based on manganese dioxide

Smart dual responsive alginate grafted copolymeric hydrogel for sorption of recalcitrant methylene green from water

ABSTRACT The sorptive removal of recalcitrant dyes from aquatic media holds paramount significance in the contemporary research. The pressing problem has been addressed by facile fabrication and subsequent sorption studies on sodium alginate grafted poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [Na-Alg-g-p(NIPAm-co-AAc)] hydrogel for sorption of methylene green (MG). The sorbent achieved equilibrium in 30 minutes, whereas highest sorption capacity was noted at optimum pH 5. At 25°C, the sorbed quantity of the adsorbate enhanced with the rise in initial concentration. The data of isothermal studies fitted well into the Langmuir isotherm as suggested by relatively higher R2 of ≈ 0.98. The sorption obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetics as evidenced by exceptionally higher R2 (0.999) and substantial agreement in experimentally obtained and theoretically calculated second-order rate constant. The validity of Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models imply the occurrence of chemisorption between anionic [Na-Alg-g-p(NIPAm-co-AAc)] sorbent and cationic MG. Moreover, the material exhibits dual (pH and temperature) responsive nature because the amount sorbed undergoes variation with change in temperature and pH. The results signify potential candidature of the fabricated sorbent for the reclamation of dye contaminated water and related applications.

Polyamide-imide copolymer-derived carbon molecular sieve membranes for efficient hydrogen/carbon dioxide separation

Carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes are emerging porous carbon membranes for chemical separation and purification. Polyamide-imide (PAI) copolymers have shown attractive separation performance for natural gas upgrading and organic solvent separations. However, PAIs are rarely used as precursors to derive CMS membranes. This work shows that CMS hollow fiber membranes made from a PAI (Torlon®) can provide highly competitive H2 permeability and H2/CO2 selectivity overcoming the 2008 Robeson upper bound under both single-gas and mixed-gas permeation. With imide and amide moieties, the PAI showed intermediate H2/CO2 separation performance between a polyimide (PI) and a polyaramid (PA). Interestingly, the trend was translated to the CMS membranes, i.e., the PAI-derived CMS membrane showed intermediate H2/CO2 separation performance between the PI-derived CMS membrane and PA-derived CMS membrane with an excellent balance of H2 permeability and H2/CO2 selectivity. Sorption studies indicate that the PAI-derived CMS membrane had intermediate H2 diffusivity and H2/CO2 diffusion selectivity, which was further attributed to its intermediate ultramicropore size. To our best knowledge, this was the first report of PAI-derived CMS hollow fiber membranes with competitive gas separation performance and the first investigation of the chemistry and pore structure of PAI-derived porous carbon. This study also underscores the role of precursor backbone chemistry in tailoring CMS membrane properties, further suggesting that CMS membranes derived from copolymers comprising mixed backbone chemistry can give simultaneously attractive permeability and selectivity.

Gallium and germanium static and kinetic sorption and desorption studies on cerium dioxide nanoparticles

Positron-emitting 68Ga has become an integral part of nuclear medicine. It is a radionuclide obtained from 68Ge/68Ga radionuclide generators. Apart from other qualities, it is a feature that have caused its growing popularity in medical practice. Nevertheless, the increasing demand for 68Ga supply results in the need of new and improved separation systems to obtain it. Hydrous oxides such as titanium or zirconium dioxide are usually the preferred separation materials, but other oxidic materials are under study. Thorough testing of the sorption behaviour is often overlooked in these studies, though it is indispensable for the applicability and suitability assessment. This work is focused on the sorption behaviour description of cerium dioxide prepared by calcination of ceric nitrate. Both batch and kinetic sorption experiments were conducted. Such a thorough study has never been carried out for this material. In batch experiments, the optimal conditions for separation of 68Ga and 68Ge were found. Kinetic experimental data were used for mathematical modelling. Six kinetic models derived from various rate-controlling processes were used and their applicability was demonstrated. The diffusion in an inert layer is the rate-controlling process of both gallium and germanium sorption and desorption. This model description of sorption kinetics will further enable us to optimise the sorption and desorption processes numerically. Thus far, it was found out that the prepared cerium dioxide can quantitatively adsorb germanium in very short time of 10 min from 1mM hydrochloric acid and the most convenient medium for 68Ge and 68Ga separation is 0.1 M hydrochloric acid.

Interaction of a Porphyrin Aluminum Metal-Organic Framework with Volatile Organic Sulfur Compound Diethyl Sulfide Studied via In Situ and Ex Situ Experiments and DFT Computations.

The study presents complementary experiments and quantum chemical DFT computations to reveal the molecular-level interactions of an advanced nanomaterial, porphyrin aluminum metal-organic framework (compound 2), with the volatile organic sulfur compound diethyl sulfide (DES). First, the intermolecular host-guest interactions during the sorption of DES were explored under dynamic conditions, using the vapor of DES in flowing air. The in situ time-dependent ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in a controlled atmosphere was significantly improved though the use of a new facilely built spectroscopic mini-chamber. The binding site of DES in compound 2 involves the μ(O-H) and COO- groups of the linker of the sorbent. Further, the chemical kinetics of the sorption of DES was investigated, and it follows the Langmuir adsorption kinetic model. That is, depending on the time interval, the process obeys either the pseudo-first- or pseudo-second-order rate law. For the Langmuir adsorption of the pseudo-first order, the rate constant is robs = 0.165 ± 0.017 min-1. Next, the interaction of compound 2 with the saturated vapor of DES yields the adsorption complex compound 3 [Al-MOF-TCPPH2]2(DES)7. The adsorbed amount of DES is very large at 36.5 wt.% or 365 mg/g sorbent, one of the highest values reported on any sorbent. The molecular modes of bonding of DES in the complex were investigated through quantum chemical DFT computations. The adsorption complex was facilely regenerated by gentle heating. The advanced functional material in this work has significant potential in the environmental remediation of diethyl sulfide and related volatile organic sulfur compounds in air, and it is an interesting target of mechanistic studies of sorption.

Evaluation of Cr (VI) retention in soils of varying carbonate in arid land (Djelfa – Algeria)

Pollution by Chromium (Cr) presents a serious problem that may affect both health and the environment. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of carbonates to chromium sorption/desorption in soils with different concentrations of carbonates in the Djelfa region. The retention study was based on three soils with different total limestone concentrations. A physico-chemical analysis of the soils, followed by a sorption study by modifying some sorption parameters, and finally a comparison of chromium retention. According to the findings, sorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics with a good regression value R². The activation energies were 12.85 and 16.44 kJ mol-1, implying a physical sorption mechanism. The data agree with the Freundlich model.

Synergistically performing graphene oxide-crown ether composite membrane structures for efficient strontium separation from aqueous solutions

Graphene oxide (GO)-crown ether (CE) composite preparation was carried out using diverse CE/GO configurations where, composite/structural suitability and adsorption characteristics of these composites were evaluated to derive optimal strontium (Sr(II)) separation conditions. Initial characterization and Sr(II) sorption studies evidenced the eminence of GO-18-crown-6-ether (GO-18C6) composites among those explored and, a comprehensive investigation on compositing procedure, ambience, affecting parameters was undertaken to deduce relevant interaction mechanism. 18C6 molecules interact with GO layers via CH-π, hydrogen bond, dipole-dipole and covalent interactions, reduce graphitic content, deteriorate structural order and induce aggregate formation. Sr(II) sorption at composite membranes is determined by GO/18C6 composition and structure, composite mass, Sr(II) concentration and pH of the ambience. Composite membranes prepared at optimal interaction conditions exhibited maximum Sr(II) adsorption capacity of ∼890 mg/g, attributed to development of profusive Sr(II) reactive sites and effective amendment of permeation channels. Inferences on optimal Sr(II) adsorption at composite membranes were validated further via sorption studies on extended and N-functionalized GO/CE structures. The rapid, economic and competent Sr(II) adsorption demonstrated in the present work evidence synergetic performance of GO-CE in composite, re-emphasize the potential of membranes in Sr(II) separation and finds significance in removal of alkali/alkaline earth metal ions from aqueous waste solutions.

Simultaneous removal of chloride and hardness from groundwater by cassava peel biosorption: Optimization and sorption studies

AbstractIn this study, activated carbon produced from cassava peel (CP) via carbonization at 400°C was utilized as a biosorbent for the removal of chloride (Cl−) and total hardness (TH) from groundwater. A response surface methodology (RSM) employing a Box–Behnken design (BBD) was implemented to optimize process parameters, including pH (3–10), biosorbent dosage (1–10 g), contact time (10–60 min), initial Cl− concentration (50–2000 mg/L), and initial TH concentration (40–900 mg/L). The biosorbent was applied in a batch reactor setup to evaluate its performance in removing Cl− and TH from groundwater under the optimized conditions. The experimental data showed good agreement with the model predictions, exhibiting R2 of 0.991 and 0.905 for Cl− and TH removal, respectively. The CP biosorbent removed Cl− (245 mg/L) and TH (321 mg/L) by 84% and 90%, respectively, under optimal conditions of 6.9 g CP dose, 19.6 min, and initial pH of 8.1. The sorption kinetics followed a pseudo‐second‐order, and the equilibrium data fit the Freundlich and Langmuir models to Cl− and TH, respectively. The removal of Cl− and TH exhibited maximum adsorption capacities (qm) of 31.25 and 6.57 mg/g for Cl− and TH, respectively. Overall, CP shows potential as an adsorbent for remediating groundwater containing Cl− and TH.

Study of Water Sorption in Methacryl-Based Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Dental Composites Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Methacrylate-based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is one of the new composites used as a dental resin. Both monofunctional methacryl isobutyl POSS (MIPOSS) and multifunctional methacryl POSS (MAPOSS) are reported to be possible resins that possess the desired properties for using them as dental resins. Our group's previous comparative study on these two resins showed that the MAPOSS composite has superior mechanical properties compared with the MIPOSS composite. In this article, molecular dynamic simulations (MD simulations) are performed to study the water sorption in these two composites. Water sorption in dental composites can have several effects on the material properties, performance, and longevity of dental restorations. Water sorption in MAPOSS and MIPOSS composites is analyzed by studying the hydrogen bonding, cluster analysis, density projection calculations, and diffusion coefficient calculation of water molecules within the resin matrix. MD simulations results are further used to understand the interaction of water molecules with the resin matrix comprehensively, which governs the composite's mechanical properties. The water sorption study showed that the MAPOSS composite has less water sorption capacity than the MIPOSS composite. The practical significance of this study is to find properties that affect dental restoration and longevity, which can help in the design of better materials for dental applications.

Environmental fate and metabolic transformation of two non-ionic pesticides in soil: Effect of biochar, moisture, and soil sterilization

Soil moisture, organic matter, and soil microbes are the key considering factors that control the persistence, degradation, and transformation of applied pesticides under varied soil conditions. In this study, underlying influence of these factors was assessed through the fates and metabolic transformation of two non-ionic pesticides (e.g., Phorate and Terbufos) in soils. Concisely, two distinct experiments including a customized batch equilibrium (sorption study), and a lab incubation trial (degradation study) were performed, following the OECD guidelines. As per study findings, biochar (BC) amendment was found to be the most influential factors during sorption study, particularly, 1% BC amendment contributed to achieve the best results. In addition, the non-linearity of sorption isotherm (1/n < 1.0) was revealed through Freundlich isotherm, indicating the strong adsorption of studied pesticides onto the soils. On the other hand, during degradation study, soil moisture initiates the enhanced degradation of parent pesticides and subsequent metabolism. In the presence of 40% water holding capacity (WHC), 1% BC amendment enhances the metabolic transformation, while H2O2 treatment could hinder the process. Additionally, the half-life degradation (t1/2) of phorate and terbufos was controlled by biochar amendment, moisture, and soil sterilization, respectively. Finally, BC can accelerate the metabolic transformation, whereas, phorate underwent a metabolic change into sulfoxide and sulfone while terbufos turned into solely sulfoxide. This pioneering study gathered crucial data for understanding the persistence and metabolic transition of non-ionic pesticides in soils and their patterns of degradation.

Study of plutonium recovery from acidic feed using polyethersulfone encapsulating TBP, DEHPA, and mixture of TBP and DEHPA beads

ABSTRACT Polyethersulfone (PES) composite beads encapsulating the extractants di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA), tributyl phosphoric acid (TBP), and mixture of DEHPA & TBP were synthesized. The synthesis was carried out using phase inversion method. Subsequently, these PES beads were applied for the recovery of plutonium [Pu (IV)] from different aqueous acidic medium. In kinetic studies, the extraction of Pu (IV) was found to be fast and equilibrium was attained within 5 minutes. In batch sorption studies, the role of aqueous acidity and nitrate ion concentration on extraction efficiency was evaluated. Also, the effects of variation of acid medium, concentration of metal ion, extractant concentration were examined for Pu (IV) recovery. Back extraction was effectively carried out using oxalic acid. The reusability of the PES beads was tested for 10 extraction – stripping cycles.