Preparation of magnetic nanocomposite beads and optimizing the conditions for effective removal of U(VI) from aqueous solutions

Magnetic ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) were prepared by precipitate polymerization and leached with HCl to remove uranium. Their ability to remove hexavalent uranium from wastewater effluents was studied. Batch adsorption studies to determine the optimum conditions of U(VI) removal were conducted at different levels of sample pH, sorbent amount, agitation time, and initial uranium concentration. It was observed that, under optimum conditions (i.e. pH 4, adsorbent amount of 50 mg, 45 min agitation time, and initial U(VI) concentration of 2 mg L^?1), the maximum removal of U(VI) cations was >98% and 80% for the magnetic IIP and the corresponding magnetic non-imprinted polymers (NIP), respectively. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to describe the adsorption of U(VI) onto magnetic IIP and NIP. The adsorption capacity of U(VI) was determined to be 1.06 and 0.85 mg g^?1 for the two isotherms, respectively. The order of selectivity was found to be U(VI) > Fe(III) > Pb(II). For six cycles of regeneration and reuse, the magnetic polymers maintained their stabilities with only a 4% loss in the extraction efficiency. The average extraction efficiencies of the magnetic polymers for the spiked acid mine drainage and sewage wastewater effluents were 71% and 58% for the magnetic IIP and NIP, respectively. From powder X-ray diffraction analysis, application of the Scherrer equation yielded magnetic nanoparticles of an average mean diameter of 11.9 nm. Thermo-gravimetric analysis revealed that the HCl-leached magnetic polymers had a magnetite residual weight of 5%.     

Modeling of adsorption isotherms and kinetics of uranium sorption by magnetic ion imprinted polymers

Application of magnetic U(VI) ion imprinted polymers (IIPs) coated on magnetic nanoparticles was investigated for pre-concentration and determination of U(VI) ions in aqueous solutions. The scanning electron micrographs revealed the microporosity of the adsorbent. Uranium leaching was successful as the energy-dispersive X-ray spectra showed. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area improved by more than 13-fold (83.1 and 6.2 m² g^?1 for the leached and unleached magnetic IIP, respectively). U(VI) uptake was optimized using batch experiments with parameters affecting the uptake performance, such as initial uranium concentration, pH, contact time, and adsorbent dose investigated. Pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model best fitted the experimental data. The maximum adsorption capacity of uranium onto the activated magnetic IIP reached 5.4 mg g^?1. The selectivity order was determined to be U(VI) > Ni(II) > Th(IV).     

Investigating the chromium status,heavy metal contamination,and ecological risk assessment via tannery waste disposal in sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya and South Africa)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - To mitigate the negative environmental and public health concerns associated with increased industrial discharges amid the rapid industrial growth,...