Separation of no-carrier-added radioactive scandium from neutron irradiated titanium

In this work, sorption of Ni(II) from aqueous solution to goethite as a function of various water quality parameters and temperature was investigated. The results indicated that the pseudo-second-order rate equation fitted the kinetic sorption well. The sorption of Ni(II) to goethite was strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength. A positive effect of HA/FA on Ni(II) sorption was found at pH < 8.0, whereas a negative effect was observed at pH > 8.0. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and D-R models were applied to simulate the sorption isotherms at three different temperatures of 293.15 K, 313.15 K and 333.15 K. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH ⁰, ΔS ⁰ and ΔG ⁰) were calculated from the temperature dependent sorption, and the results indicated that the sorption was endothermic and spontaneous. At low pH, the sorption of Ni(II) was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation or ion exchange with Na⁺/H⁺ on goethite surfaces, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH.     

Modeling the adsorption of Cd(II) onto goethite in the presence of citric acid

The adsorption of cadmium onto goethite in the presence of citric acid was measured as a function of pH and cadmium concentration at 25 degrees C. Potentiometric titrations were also performed on the system. Cadmium adsorption onto goethite was enhanced above pH 4 in the presence of 50 microM, 100 microM and 1 mM citric acid. While there was little difference between the enhancements caused by 50 and 100 microM citric acid below pH 6, above pH 6 further enhancement is seen in the presence of 100 microM citric acid. When 1 mM citric acid was present, the enhancement of cadmium adsorption was greater below pH 6, with increased Cd(II) adsorption down to pH 3.5. However, above pH 6, 1 mM of citric acid caused slightly less enhancement than the lower citric acid concentrations. ATR-FTIR spectra of soluble and adsorbed citrate-cadmium species were measured as a function of pH. At pH 4.6 there was very little difference between the ternary Cd(II)-citric acid-goethite spectrum and the binary citric acid-goethite spectrum. However, spectra of the ternary system at pH 7.0 and 8.7 indicated the presence of additional surface species. Further analysis of the spectra suggested that these were metal-ligand outer-sphere complexes. Data from the adsorption experiments and potentiometric titrations of the ternary Cd(II)-citric acid-goethite system were fitted by an extended constant-capacitance surface complexation model. The spectroscopic data were used to inform the choice of surface species. Three reactions in addition to those for the binary Cd(II)-goethite and citric acid-goethite systems were required to describe all of the data. They were [formula in text], [formula in text], and [formula in text]. Neither the spectroscopy nor the modeling suggested the formation of a ternary inner-sphere complex or a surface precipitate under the conditions used in this study.     

Removal of Co(II) from aqueous solution by using hydroxyapatite

Herein, hydroxyapatite (HAP) was prepared by aqueous precipitation technique and was characterized by using FT-IR and XRD to determine its chemical functional groups and micro-structure. The removal of cobalt from aqueous solution to HAP was studied by batch technique as a function of various environmental parameters such as contact time, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, fulvic acid (FA), and temperature under ambient conditions. The results indicated that the sorption of Co(II) on HAP was strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength. The presence of FA enhanced the sorption of Co(II) on HAP at low pH, whereas reduced Co(II) sorption on HAP at high pH. The Langmuir, Freundlich and D-R models were used to simulate the sorption isotherms at three different temperatures of 303.15, 323.15 and 343.15 K. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS° and ΔG°) calculated from the temperature dependent sorption isotherms indicated that the sorption process of Co(II) on HAP was spontaneous and endothermic. The sorption of Co(II) was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation and ion exchange at low pH, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation or surface precipitation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH values. The results suggest that the HAP is a suitable material in the preconcentration and solidification of Co(II) from large volumes of aqueous solutions.     

Hollow capsules formed in a single stage via interfacial hydrogen-bonded complexation of methylcellulose with poly(acrylic acid) and tannic acid

Hollow capsules can be prepared in a single stage by the interfacial complexation of methylcellulose (MC) with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or tannic acid (TA) via hydrogen bonding in aqueous solutions. The formation of capsules is observed when viscous solution of methylcellulose is added drop-wise to diluted solutions of polyacids under acidic conditions. The optimal parameters such as polymer concentration and solution pH for the formation of these capsules were established in this work. It was found that tannic acid forms capsules in a broader range of concentrations and pHs compared to poly(acrylic acid). The TA/MC capsules exhibited better stability compared to PAA/MC in response to increase in pH: the dissolution of TA/MC capsules observed at pH > 9.5; whereas PAA/MC capsules dissolved at pH > 3.8. The interfacial complexation can be considered as a potential single stage alternative to the formation of capsules using multistage layer-by-layer deposition method.     

Complexation and sorption studies of Co(II) with γ-alumina-bound fulvic acid: effect of pH,ionic strength,fulvic acid and alumina concentration

The removal of heavy metal ion Co(II) from aqueous solution is studied using γ-Al₂O₃ by batch technique. The experiments are performed at T = 20 ± 2 °C, in 0.01 M NaNO₃ solutions and under aerobic conditions. The effect of pH, ionic strength, fulvic acid (FA) and alumina concentration on the sorption of Co(II) on alumina are also respectively investigated. The pH affects the sorption of Co(II) significantly as compared with the effect of FA and ionic strength. The results indicate that strong chemical bonds are formed between Co(II) and the bare or FA coated alumina surface, and a transition from the adsorption to surface-induced precipitation of Co(II) on alumina surface takes place. The addition sequences of Co/FA on Co(II) sorption is also studied and the results indicate that the sorption of Co(II) in ternary system is independent of addition sequences. The results also suggest that the sorption of metal ions on mineral surface depends on the nature of mineral, nature of organic ligand and nature of metal ion.     

Effect of Hydrophilic Polymer on Solubilization of Fenofibrate by Cyclodextrin Complexation

The present work investigates the possibility of improvement of the complexation efficiency of cyclodextrin towards a drug by adding a third auxiliary component (hydrophilic polymer). Phase solubility Analysis at 25 °C was used to investigate the interaction of the drug in both the binary systems (viz. Drug-Cyclodextrin and Drug-Polymer) and the ternary system (Drug-Cyclodextrin-Polymer). The combined use of polymer and cyclodextrin was clearly more effective in enhancing the aqueous solubility of the fenofibrate in comparison with the corresponding drug-cyclodextrin or drug-polymer binary systems. Hydrophilic polymers increased the complexation efficacy of cyclodextrin towards fenofibrate (as shown by the increased stability constants of the complexes). Polyvinyl Pyrollidone (PVP) was found to be most effective in enhancing the solubilization of fenofibrate by β-Cyclodextrin, the best results were obtained in ternary system with β-Cyclodextrin in presence of 1%w/v (PVP). Formulated ternary system with optimized drug:cyclodextrin:polymer ratio of 1:3.5:1 w/w resulted in a significant improvement in the dissolution rate of fenofibrate and showed 90% dissolution efficiency (D.E) as compared to around 15% and 83% of the plain drug and binary system respectively. DSC studies was carried out to characterize the ternary complex.     

Sorption behavior of hydroxyapatite for 109Cd(II) as a function of environmental conditions

In this work, hydroxyapatite (HAP) was prepared by aqueous precipitation technique and was characterized by using FT-IR to determine its chemical functional groups. A series of batch experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of various environmental factors such as contact time, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, fulvic acid (FA) and temperature on the sorption behavior of HAP towards radionuclide ¹⁰⁹Cd(II). The results indicated that the sorption of ¹⁰⁹Cd(II) on HAP was strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength. A positive effect of FA on ¹⁰⁹Cd(II) sorption was found at pH <7.0, whereas a negative effect was observed at pH >7.0. The Langmuir, Freundlich and D-R models were used to simulate the sorption isotherms at three different temperatures of 298.15, 323.15 and 343.15 K. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH⁰, ΔS⁰ and ΔG⁰) calculated from the temperature dependent sorption isotherms indicated that the sorption process of ¹⁰⁹Cd(II) on HAP was spontaneous and endothermic. At low pH, the sorption of ¹⁰⁹Cd(II) was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation and ion exchange on HAP surfaces, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH. From the experimental results, it is possible to conclude that HAP has good potentialities for cost-effective treatments of ¹⁰⁹Cd(II)-contaminated wastewaters.     

Investigating sorption on iron-oxyhydroxide soil minerals by solid-state NMR spectroscopy: a 6Li MAS NMR study of adsorption and absorption on goethite

High-resolution 2H MAS NMR spectra can be obtained for nanocrystalline particles of goethite (alpha-FeOOH, particle size approximately 4-10 nm) at room temperature, facilitating NMR studies of sorption under environmentally relevant conditions. Li sorption was investigated as a function of pH, the system representing an ideal model system for NMR studies. 6Li resonances with large hyperfine shifts (approximately 145 ppm) were observed above the goethite point of zero charge, providing clear evidence for the presence of Li-O-Fe connectivities, and thus the formation of an inner sphere Li+ complex on the goethite surface. Even larger Li hyperfine shifts (289 ppm) were observed for Li+-exchanged goethite, which contains lithium ions in the tunnels of the goethite structure, confirming the Li assignment of the 145 ppm Li resonance to the surface sites.     

Influence of pH,ionic strength,foreign ions and FA on adsorption of radiocobalt on goethite

This work contributed to the adsorption of radiocobalt on goethite as a function of contact time, pH, ionic strength and foreign ions in the absence and presence of fulvic acid (FA) under ambient conditions. The results indicated that adsorption of Co(II) was dependent on ionic strength and foreign ions at low pH values (pH < 7.8), and independent of ionic strength and foreign ions at high pH values (pH > 7.8). Outer-sphere surface complexation and/or ion exchange were the main mechanisms of Co(II) adsorption on goethite at low pH values, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main adsorption mechanism at high pH values. The presence of FA enhanced Co(II) adsorption at low pH values, but reduced Co(II) adsorption at high pH values. The thermodynamic data (ΔH ⁰, ΔS ⁰, ΔG ⁰) were calculated from the temperature dependent adsorption isotherms, and the results suggested that adsorption process of Co(II) on goethite was spontaneous and endothermic. The results are crucial to understand the physicochemical behavior of Co(II) in the nature environment.     

Sorption of radiocobalt(II) from aqueous solutions to Na-attapulgite

The sorption of Co(II) on Na-attapulgite as a function of contact time, solid content, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, fulvic acid (FA) and temperature under ambient conditions was studied. The kinetic of Co(II) sorption on Na-attapulgite was described well by pseudo-second-order model. The sorption of Co(II) on Na-attapulgite was strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength. The sorption of Co(II) was mainly dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation and/or ion exchange at low pH, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation or surface precipitation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH values. The presence of FA did not affect Co(II) sorption obviously at pH <7, and a negative effect was observed at pH >7. The Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to simulate the sorption data at different temperatures, and the results indicated that the Langmuir model simulated the data better than the Freundlich isotherm model. The thermodynamic parameters (∆G°, ∆S°, ∆H°) calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms indicated that the sorption of Co(II) on Na-attapulgite was an endothermic and spontaneous process. The results suggest that the attapulgite sample is a suitable material in the preconcentration and solidification of radiocobalt from large volumes of aqueous solutions.     

Impact of environmental conditions on the sorption behavior of Co(II) on Na-rectorite studied by batch experiments

The sorption of Co(II) from aqueous solution on Na-rectorite was investigated under ambient conditions. Experiments were carried out as a function of contact time, solid content, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, fulvic acid and temperature. The results indicated that the sorption of Co(II) was strongly dependent on pH. At low pH the sorption was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation or ion exchange, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) models were used to simulate the sorption isotherms at three different temperatures. The thermodynamic data (∆G ⁰, ∆S ⁰, ∆H ⁰) were calculated from the temperature dependent sorption isotherms and the results suggested that the sorption process of Co(II) on Na-rectorite was spontaneous and endothermic. Experimental results indicate that Na-rectorite is a suitable adsorbent for preconcentration and solidification of Co(II) from large volumes of aqueous solutions.     

On the prediction of equilibrium phase behavior of amino acids in aqueous and aqueous-electrolyte solutions using SAFT equation of state

We present an approach based on the statistical associating fluids theory (SAFT) to predict the solubility of amino acids in aqueous and aqueous-electrolyte solutions. This approach can describe the association interactions and their effects on the solubility of amino acids. Using the experimental data of activity coefficients of amino acids in water, the parameters of SAFT model for amino acids are obtained. The solubility of several amino acids in the temperature range of 273.15–373.15 K is predicted. Results obtained from the model are in a good accordance with the experimental data. Also, we examine the effect of pH on the solubility of dl-methionine. Addition of an extra amino acid to the binary solution of amino acid + water makes the system more complex. To check the accuracy of model, we study the ternary solution of dl-serine + dl-alanine + water and dl-valine + dl-alanine + water. Predicted results depict that the proposed model has the ability to describe the ternary solution of amino acids, accurately. Finally, the solubility of amino acids in aqueous-electrolyte solutions is investigated. The long-range interactions caused by the presence of ions affects the solubility of amino acids, leading them to be salted in or out. To treat this kind of interaction, the restrictive primitive mean spherical approximation (RP-MSA) is coupled with the SAFT equation of state. The proposed model can accurately predict the solubility of amino acids in aqueous-electrolyte solutions.     

Preconcentration of inorganic antimony(III) in environmental samples by PSTH-Dowex microcolumn and determination by FI-ETAAS

A flow injection on-line sorption preconcentration system has been synchronously coupled to an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) system for the selective determination of trace amounts of Sb(III) in water, soil and plant. The determination was achieved by selective complexation and sorption of Sb(III) with [1,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-3-sulphophenyl methylene thiocarbonohydarzide (PSTH) immobilized on an anion-exchange resin (Dowex 1× 8-200)] at a wide range of pH, quantitative elution with 50 μl of 2 M HNO₃ and subsequent ETAAS detection. ETAAS determination of the analyte was performed in parallel with the preconcentration of the next sample. Using a preconcentration time of 60 s and a sample loading flow rate of 2.8 ml min⁻¹, an enhancement factor of 12 was obtained in comparison with direct injection of 50 μl aqueous solution, resulting in a sampling frequency of 31 samples h⁻¹. The detection limit (3 s) was 2 μg l⁻¹ and the precision was 3.1% (R.S.D.) for 11 replicate determinations at 10 μg l⁻¹. The accuracy of the proposed method was demonstrated by analyzing one certified sample and different spiked samples.     

Effect of pH, ionic strength, foreign ions and humic substances on Th(IV) sorption to GMZ bentonite studied by batch experiments

Bentonite has been studied extensively because of its strong sorption and complexation ability. Herein, GMZ bentonite from Gaomiaozi county (Inner Mongolia, China) was investigated as the candidate of backfill material for the removal of Th(IV) ions from aqueous solutions. The results indicate that the sorption of Th(IV) is strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength at pH < 5, and independent of ionic strength at pH > 5. Outer-sphere surface complexation or ion-exchange are the main mechanism of Th(IV) sorption on GMZ bentonite at low pH values, whereas the sorption of Th(IV) at pH > 5 is mainly dominated by inner-sphere surface complexation or surface precipitation. Soil fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) have a positive influence on the sorption of Th(IV) on bentonite at pH < 5. The different addition sequences of HA and Th(IV) to GMZ bentonite suspensions have no obvious effect on Th(IV) sorption to HA-bentonite hybrids. The high sorption capacity of Th(IV) on GMZ bentonite suggests that the GMZ bentonite can remove Th(IV) ions from large volumes of aqueous solutions in real work.     

Influence of binary/ternary complex of imprint ion on the preconcentration of uranium(VI) using ion imprinted polymer materials

Ion imprinted polymer (IIP) materials were prepared for uranyl ion (imprint ion) by forming binary (5,7-dichloroquinoline-8-ol (DCQ) or 4-vinylpyridine (VP)) or ternary (5,7-dichloroquinoline-8-ol and 4-vinylpyridine) complexes in 2-methoxy ethanol (porogen) and copolymerizing in the presence of styrene and divinyl benzene as functional and crosslinking monomers, respectively and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. IIP particles were obtained by leaching the imprint ion in these polymer materials with 50% (v/v) hydrochloric acid, filtering, drying in an oven at 50 °C and grinding. Control polymer particles were also prepared under identical conditions. The above synthesized polymer particles were characterized by IR, CHN, X-ray diffraction, and pore size analyses. These leached polymer particles can now pick up uranyl ions from dilute aqueous solutions. The IIP particles obtained with ternary complex of uranyl ion alone gave quantitative enrichment of traces of uranyl ions from dilute aqueous solutions. The optimal pH for quantitative enrichment is 4.5-7.5 and eluted completely with 10 ml of 1.0 M HCl. The retention capacity of uranyl IIP particles was found to be 34.05 mg of uranyl ion per gram of polymer. Further, the percent extraction, distribution ratio, and selectivity coefficients of uranium and other selected inorganic ions were also evaluated. Five replicate determinations of 25 μg of uranium present in 1.0 l of aqueous solution gave a mean absorbance of 0.036 with a relative standard deviation of 2.50%. The detection limit corresponding to three times the standard deviation of the blank was found to be 5 μg l⁻¹.     

Sorption and filtration of Hg(II) ions from aqueous solutions with a membrane containing poly(ethyleneimine) as a complexing polymer

The performances of a PVA/PEI complexing membrane for the removal of Hg(II) from aqueous solutions were investigated by performing sorption and filtration experiments. This membrane, that was previously shown to ensure efficient sorption of the heavy metal ions Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) at pH 5, presented a higher affinity for Hg(II) at pH 2.5. The sorption equilibrium was satisfactorily represented by the Langmuir model. In view of possible application to the treatment of industrial wastewaters, the effects of parameters such as pH, temperature, water hardness, and the presence of complexing chloride anions were investigated. The effect of increasing temperature was not straightforward: the complexation equilibrium constant decreased, but the mass of mercury sorbed increased, probably due to the higher mobility of the polymer chains that made internal sites available for complexing mercury. The maximum retention capacity of the membrane was 311 mg Hg g⁻¹. Also, operating at large calcium or chloride concentrations was not detrimental to the membrane performances. For regeneration of the membrane, a 0.05 M solution of EDTA is recommended on the basis of limited performance loss. When used in the filtration mode, the elimination ratio of Hg(II) was close to 99%.     

Solution chemistry effects on sorption behavior of 109Cd(II) on Ca-montmorillonite

The sorption of radiocadmium on Ca-montmorillonite as a function of contact time, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) was studied using batch technique. The results demonstrated that the sorption of Cd(II) was dependent on ionic strength at pH < 9, and was independent of ionic strength at pH > 9. Outer-sphere surface complexation and/or ion exchange were the main mechanism of Cd(II) sorption on Ca-montmorillonite at low pH, whereas the sorption at high pH was mainly dominated via inner-sphere surface complexation. The sorption of Cd(II) on Ca-montmorillonite was dependent on foreign ions at low pH values, but was independent of foreign ions at high pH values. A positive effect of HA/FA on Cd(II) sorption was found at low pH values, whereas a negative effect was observed at high pH values. The thermodynamic parameters (i.e., ??H ⁰, ??S ⁰, ??G ⁰) were calculated from the temperature dependent sorption isotherms, and the results indicated that the sorption process of Cd(II) on Ca-montmorillonite was spontaneous and endothermic.     

Impact of environmental conditions on the sorption behavior of radionuclide 63Ni(II) onto hierarchically structured γ-MnO2

A novel hierarchically structured γ-MnO₂ has been synthesized using a simple chemical reaction between MnSO₄ and KMnO₄ in aqueous solution without using any templates, surfactants, catalysts, calcination and hydrothermal processes. As an example of potential applications, hierarchically structured γ-MnO₂ was used as adsorbent in radionuclide ⁶³Ni(II) treatment, and showed an excellent ability. The effects of pH, ionic strength, temperature, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) on the sorption of radionuclide ⁶³Ni(II) to hierarchically structured γ-MnO₂ have been investigated by using batch techniques. The results indicated that the sorption of ⁶³Ni(II) on γ-MnO₂ is obviously dependent on pH values but independent of ionic strength. The presence of HA/FA strongly enhances the sorption of ⁶³Ni(II) on γ-MnO₂ at low pH values, whereas reduces ⁶³Ni(II) sorption at high pH values. The sorption of ⁶³Ni(II) on γ-MnO₂ is attributed to inner-sphere surface complexation rather than outer-sphere surface complexation or ion exchange. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH ⁰, ΔS ⁰, ΔG ⁰) are also calculated from the temperature dependent sorption isotherms, and the results suggest that the sorption of ⁶³Ni(II) on γ-MnO₂ is a spontaneous and endothermic process.     

Sorption of U(VI) onto a decarbonated calcareous soil

Sorption of U(VI) from aqueous solution to decarbonated calcareous soil (DCS) was studied under ambient conditions using batch technique. Soil samples were characterized by XRD, FT-IR and SEM in detail and the effects of pH, solid-to-liquid ratio (m/V), temperature, contact time, fulvic acid (FA), CO₂ and carbonates on U(VI) sorption to calcareous soil were also studied in detail using batch technique. The results from experimental techniques showed that sorption of U(VI) on DCS was significantly influenced by pH values of the aqueous phase, indicating a formation of inner-sphere complexes at solid–liquid interface, and increased with increasing temperature, suggesting the sorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. Compared to Freundlich model, sorption of U(VI) to DCS was simulated better with Langmuir model. The sorption equilibrium could be quickly achieved within 5 h, and sorption results fitted pseudo-second-order model well. The presence of FA in sorption system enhanced U(VI) sorption at low pH and reduced U(VI) sorption at high pH values. In absence of FA, the sorption of U(VI) onto DCS was an irreversible process, while the presence of FA reinforced the U(VI) desorption process reversible. The presence of CO₂ decreased U(VI) sorption largely at pH >8, which might due to a weakly adsorbable formation of Ca₂UO₂(CO₃)₃ complex in aqueous phase.     

Isothermal vapor–liquid equilibrium at 333.15 K and excess molar volumes and refractive indices at 298.15 K for the mixtures of di-methyl carbonate,ethanol and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane

Isothermal vapor–liquid equilibrium data at 333.15 K are measured for the binary system ethanol + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane and for ternary system di-methyl carbonate (DMC) + ethanol + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane by using headspace gas chromatography. The experimental binary and ternary vapor–liquid equilibrium data were correlated with different activity coefficient models. Excess volume and deviations in molar refractivity data are also reported for the binary systems DMC + ethanol and DMC + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane and the ternary system DMC + ethanol + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane at 298.15 K. These data were correlated with the Redlich-Kister equation for the binary systems and the Cibulka equation for the ternary system, respectively. The ternary excess volume and deviations in molar refractivity data were also compared with estimated values from the binary contribution models of Tsao–Smith, Kohler, Rastogi and Radojkovi?.