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Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Chitosan/Graphene Oxide/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Aerogel Nanocomposite for High Efficiency Uranium (VI) Removal from Wastewaters

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Abstract

The toxic and the hazardous ramifications that affect both the environment and human beings due to the existence of uranium in wastewater are a huge challenge towards a sustainable environment. Uranium removal from wastewater is a big difficulty that is becoming more severe as the world’s population grows and energy demand rises. A hydrothermal and freeze-drying process is used to create a chitosan/graphene oxide/poly (vinyl alcohol) aerogel (CH/GO/PVA) for a very effective and selective uranium removal. Batch experiments were used to examine hexavalent uranium (VI) sorption from wastewater. The efficiency of U (VI) removal was investigated for time of contact, various pH, dosage of sorbent, initial concentration of U (VI), and temperature values. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller are utilized to describe the composition, morphology, polymer formation and nanocomposites. Kinetic and Freundlich equations, and the pseudo-second-order are used to illustrate the adsorption process. The adsorption capacity of U (VI) reaches its maximum of 1247 mg g–1 when an initial uranium concentration is 380 mg L–1, and the highest uranium removal efficiency is 98.44%. Thermodynamic study reveals an endothermic and spontaneous adsorption mechanism. Furthermore, the as-synthesized GO/CS/PVA aerogel has good mechanical as well as thermal stability, and can be utilized six times before losing a substantial portion of its original removing effectiveness.

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Data Availability

The datasets of the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study is supported by the College of Science, Department of Chemistry, Ilam University and the Central Laboratories Directorate, Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ilam University, P. O. BOX, Ilam, 69315-516, Iran

    Mohammed D. Majeed & Mahmoud Roushani

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  1. Mohammed D. Majeed
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  2. Mahmoud Roushani
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MDM: Resources, investigation, methodology, validation, funding acquisition roles/writing—original draft. MR: Supervision, conceptualization, corresponding author, methodology, validation, funding acquisition, writing—review &editing.

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Correspondence to Mahmoud Roushani.

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Majeed, M.D., Roushani, M. Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Chitosan/Graphene Oxide/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Aerogel Nanocomposite for High Efficiency Uranium (VI) Removal from Wastewaters. J Clust Sci 35, 903–914 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10876-023-02523-7

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