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Competitive Adsorption of Uranyl and Toxic Trace Metal Ions at MFe2O4-montmorillonite (M = Mn, Fe, Zn, Co, or Ni) Interfaces

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Clays and Clay Minerals

Abstract

Adsorption of uranyl (UO22+) ions to mineral surfaces is a potentially effective method for removing this hazardous metal from water, but other toxic trace metal ions (Xn+: Rb+, Sr2+, Cr3+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+) in uraniferous wastewaters compete with UO22+ for adsorption sites and thus may diminish the capacity of adsorbents to sequester UO22+. A better understanding of competitive adsorption among these metal ions and the development of better adsorbents are, therefore, of critical importance. The purpose of the present study was to synthesize and characterize magnetic adsorbents, consisting of MFe2O4 (M = Mn, Fe, Zn, Co, or Ni) nanoparticles synthesized on montmorillonite (Mnt) edge sites, and to investigate their use as adsorbents for UO22+, including competitive adsorption with trace metal ions. Selective adsorption was studied using Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms, and the results showed that Xn+ ions were adsorbed primarily on MFe2O4-montmorillonite surfaces, and the UO22+ ions were adsorbed on the interfaces between montmorillonite edge surfaces and MFe2O4 nanoparticles. Using the Freundlich model, the interface adsorption capacity of UO22+ reached 25.1 mg·g–1 in mixed solution. Further, the UO22+ and Cr3+ ions had a redox reaction on the interfaces with synergistic adsorption. Herein, the adsorption capacity of Cr3+ was 60.2 mg·g–1 using the Freundlich isotherm. The results demonstrated that the MFe2O4-montmorillonite with highly selective adsorption of UO22+ ions is applicable to UO22+ treatment in the presence of toxic trace metal ions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41872039 and 41831285), the One-Thousand Talents Scheme in Sichuan Province, Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2018JY0462), and Longshan Fund of Southwest University of Science and Technology (17QR004).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, South West University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, Sichuan, China

    Xiaoqiang Jiang, Liang Bian, Faqin Dong, Mianxin Song, Yi He, Huichao He, Zhiqin Zheng, Tingting Huo, Bowen Li, Nelson Belzile, Shuhui Sun & Hao Zou

  2. Institute of Gem and Material Technology, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, China

    Jianan Nie & Liang Bian

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  1. Xiaoqiang Jiang
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Correspondence to Liang Bian or Mianxin Song.

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This paper was originally presented during the World Forum on Industrial Minerals, held in Qing Yang, China, October 2018

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Jiang, X., Nie, J., Bian, L. et al. Competitive Adsorption of Uranyl and Toxic Trace Metal Ions at MFe2O4-montmorillonite (M = Mn, Fe, Zn, Co, or Ni) Interfaces. Clays Clay Miner. 67, 291–305 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42860-019-00028-x

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