Radionuclide sorption onto nanoiron oxide: Synthesis and application to natural waters

Abstract

Expanded requirement for the lanthanides in industrial stuff resulted in intensified manufacture of lanthanide containing ores. This increases public contact to the lanthanides, both from production wastes/effluents and from various commercial products. Present study describes the efficacy of γ-Fe2O3 (nano maghemite) for fast adsorption of some of the long-lived, toxic and radioactive human made radio nuclides from natural waters. Nanometal oxides have been successfully prepared by precipitation synthesis followed by thermal decomposition of transition metal oxides, These are further characterized by different physico-chemical techniques like XRD, UV-Vis-DRS, TEM, FTIR and BET analysis. Adsorption capacities of REEs like La(III), and Nd(III) are observed through ICPAES technique. The parameters influencing the adsorption capacity, which includes pH, contact time, initial concentration, and temperature are optimized. The adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics are analysed. These results proved that nanometal oxide (γ-Fe2O3) have been successfully prepared by precipitation synthesis followed by thermal decomposition of transition metal oxides, and followed a novel method to mollify the seriousness of nuclear waste contamination, which leads to successful evaluation for environmental problems.