Hydrothermal leather waste by hydrothermal method for uranium (VI) removal from a Simulated Saline Solution

Abstract

Hydrothermal leather waste was prepared by hydrothermal method, using leather waste as the precondition and applying the adsorption of uranium (VI) in solution. The effects of pH value, adsorption time and initial concentration of uranium (VI) on the adsorption efficiency were investigated. The adsorption process was in accordance with the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous, and it reached adsorption equilibrium in 240 min. In the simulated high salinity environment, the adsorbent exhibited excellent adsorption rate on the trace of uranium (VI). The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, flourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and it was found that the adsorption mechanism was coordinated complex.