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Adsorption of uranium, cesium and strontium onto coconut shell activated carbon

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Abstract

The adsorption of uranium (VI), cesium and strontium ions from aqueous solutions onto a commercial activated carbon obtained by physical activation of coconut shell has been studied in batch systems. In particular the adsorption of uranium, studied as a function of contact time and metal ion concentration, followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. Equilibrium adsorption data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and the maximum adsorption capacity of the activated carbon resulted to be 55.32 mg/g. The study showed that the considered activated carbon could be successfully used for uranium adsorption from aqueous solutions. Feasibility of cesium and strontium adsorption onto the same activated carbon has been also investigated. Results showed that no affinities with both of these ions exist.

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Notes

  1. Note: besides the OH− ion, uranyl is able to coordinate NO3 − (surely present in solution because uranyl nitrate was adopted for experiments) and CO3 2− (which may come from CO2 in air when reacting with water); anyway, simulation runs with MINTEQA2 at concentrations of interest, showed that molar concentrations of nitrates and carbonates complexes result absolutely negligible, so they were assumed not relevant.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the “Micro and Nanostructured Materials Lab” of NEMAS – Department of Energy – Politecnico di Milano for SEM analyses. Special thanks to M. Giola, M. Giorgi and A. Mantegazza for their support in the experimental activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Engineering Section, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/3, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Matteo Caccin, Francesca Giacobbo, Mirko Da Ros & Mario Mariani

  2. Milan, Italy

    Luigi Besozzi

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  1. Matteo Caccin
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  2. Francesca Giacobbo
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  3. Mirko Da Ros
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  4. Luigi Besozzi
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  5. Mario Mariani
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Correspondence to Francesca Giacobbo.

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Caccin, M., Giacobbo, F., Da Ros, M. et al. Adsorption of uranium, cesium and strontium onto coconut shell activated carbon. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 297, 9–18 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-2305-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-2305-x

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