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Removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution using nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on activated charcoal

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Abstract

The nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on activated charcoal (nZVI/AC) by the reduction of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate with sodium borohydride was synthesized for uranium(VI) adsorption. The nZVI/AC was characterized using X-ray radiation diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms and adsorption thermodynamics were also examined. The adsorption capacity reached 492.6 mg/g when dosage was 0.5 g/L, initial concentration of uranium(VI) was 250 mg/L, pH was 5, temperature was 35 °C and time was 60 min. The experimental results indicated that nZVI/AC possessed many advantages such as simple and economy for preparation, less adsorbent dosage, short balance time, high adsorption ratio and adsorption capacity. The synthesized adsorbent is promising to efficiently treat the uranium-contained wastewater.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Fund Program (11375043), Science and Technology Cooperation Program of Jiangxi Province (20151BBG70011), and the City School Science and Technology Cooperation Fund Program (sxhz201106).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nuclear Engineering and Geophysics, East China University of Technology, 418 Guanglan Road, Nanchang, 330013, People’s Republic of China

    Daqian Liu, Zhirong Liu, Changfu Wang & Yi Lai

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  1. Daqian Liu
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  2. Zhirong Liu
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  3. Changfu Wang
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  4. Yi Lai
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Correspondence to Zhirong Liu.

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Liu, D., Liu, Z., Wang, C. et al. Removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution using nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on activated charcoal. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 310, 1131–1137 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4892-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4892-4

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