Recent Advances in the Removal of Radioactive Iodine and Iodide from the Environment

Abstract

Iodine (I 2 ) in the form of iodide ions (I − ) is an essential chemical element in the human body. Iodine is a nonmetal that belongs to the VIIA group (halogens) in the periodic table. Over the last couple of centuries, the exponential growth of human society triggered by industrialization coincided with the use of iodine in a wide variety of applications, including chemical and biological processes. However, through these processes, the excess amount of iodine eventually ends up contaminating soil, underground water, and freshwater sources, which results in adverse effects. It enters the food chain and interferes with biological processes with serious physiological consequences in all living organisms, including humans. Existing removal techniques utilize different materials such as metal−organic frameworks, layered double hydroxides, ion-exchange resins, silver, polymers, bismuth, carbon, soil, MXenes, and magnetic-based materials. From our literature survey, it was clear that absorption techniques are the most frequently experimented with. In this Review, we have summarized current advancements in the removal of iodine and iodide from human-made contaminated aqueous waste.

One-Step Synthesis of Silver-Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites for Effective Elimination of Iodide Anions from Water

“…Currently, specific efforts have been directed toward solid-phase extractants for capturing I – due to their convenient operability, reduced energy and equipment requirements, high volume reduction factor, and low cost. Examples include calcined layered double hydroxides (LDH), ion-exchange resin, compounds containing Bi­(III) or Cu­(0, I, II), and Ag-based functionalized materials . Among these, Ag-based functionalized materials are preferred due to their high affinity with iodide, superior adsorption capacity, fast adsorption kinetics, high tolerance to competitive anions, and acid-stability. , Nevertheless, the unfavorable economic feasibility of silver metal hinders its widespread practical application.…”

Facile synthesis of a nitrogen-rich covalent organic framework for the efficient capture of iodine

“…3 However, spent fuel, safe operation, and proper waste disposal must be addressed. 4 Despite the substantial energy generation by nuclear power plants, they are associated with several radioactive and volatile species, including 14 C, 85 Kr, 129 I, 131 I, and 3 H, during their operational activity. 5,6 Consequently, nuclear waste containing radionuclides poses long-term risks to humans and the environment due to the challenges associated with its safe containment and disposal.…”

“…Disseminating these vaporous contaminants into the air could harm the natural ecosystem. 14 Furthermore, according to statistics from a recent survey, the Fukushima Daiichi incident, which unfolded in March 2011, was a catastrophic incident, which manifests that we are yet to achieve a prominent level of safety in managing nuclear energy. The radioactive cesium and iodine in small sh located dozens of miles to the south of Fukushima, as well as signicant nuclear radiation levels in the seawater 25 miles offshore, were detected.…”

Real-Time Imaging of Interfacial Copper(II) Ion-Initiated Selective Etching in the Core Region of Single Cuprous Oxide–Bismoclite Core–Shell Microcrystals

“…According to GLOBOCAN 2020, there are approximately new 586,000 TC cases, ranking ninth among all cancers. , 131 I as a strong γ-emitter is commonly utilized in the treatment of TC. , Although it has a relatively short half-life of 8.02 days, only 30% of the uptake of 131 I is carried to the thyroid, and 70% of 131 I is excreted in urine during metabolism . The wastewater containing 131 I in the form of iodide ions (I – ) is inevitably discharged into municipal drains, leading to potentially severe environmental and health hazards. , Efforts have been devoted to capturing and removing I – from water streams by exploring different approaches such as ion exchange, precipitation, and solid phase adsorption. , Silver-loaded porous materials and cuprite (Cu 2 O) have been demonstrated to serve as solid adsorbents for the selective adsorption of I – . , …”

“…8,9 Efforts have been devoted to capturing and removing I − from water streams by exploring different approaches such as ion exchange, precipitation, and solid phase adsorption. 10,11 Silver-loaded porous materials and cuprite (Cu 2 O) have been demonstrated to serve as solid adsorbents for the selective adsorption of I − . 12,13 Compared with silver, copper is earth-abundant and cheaper, making Cu 2 O more promising and cost-effective for the adsorption of I − .…”