An Efficient Method for Selective Desalination of Radioactive Iodine Anions by Using Gold Nanoparticles-Embedded Membrane Filter

Abstract

Here, we demonstrate a detail protocol for the preparation of nanomaterials-embedded composite membranes and its application to the efficient and ion-selective removal of radioactive iodines. By using citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (mean diameter: 13 nm) and cellulose acetate membranes, gold nanoparticle-embedded cellulose acetate membranes (Au-CAM) have easily been fabricated. The nano-adsorbents on Au-CAM were highly stable in the presence of high concentration of inorganic salts and organic molecules. The iodide ions in aqueous solutions could rapidly be captured by this engineered membrane. Through a filtration process using an Au-CAM containing filter unit, excellent removal efficiency (>99%) as well as ion-selective desalination result was achieved in a short time. Moreover, Au-CAM provided good reusability without significant decrease of its performances. These results suggested that the present technology using the engineered hybrid membrane will be a promising process for the large-scale decontamination of radioactive iodine from liquid wastes.

Continuous Flow Removal of Anionic Dyes in Water by Chitosan-Functionalized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Incorporated in a Dextran Gel Column

“…We previously studied and reported adsorbent-immobilized composite materials to perform continuous flow desalination of radioactive elements in water [23,24,25,26]. These hybrid nanomaterials stabilize the adsorbent and minimize aggregation/agglomeration of the adsorbent during water treatment.…”