Radioactive Cobalt(II) Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using a Reusable Nanocomposite: Kinetic, Isotherms, and Mechanistic Study

Xiaotao Zhang, Ximing Wang and Zhangjing Chen
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Xiaotao Zhang: College of Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Ximing Wang: College of Material Science and Art Design, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Zhangjing Chen: Department of Sustainable Biomaterials Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: A lignocellulose/montmorillonite (LMT) nanocomposite was prepared as a reusable adsorbent for cobalt(II) ions, and characterized by nitrogen (N 2 ) adsorption/desorption isotherm, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). LMT exhibited efficient adsorption of cobalt ions (Co(II)), and the adsorbed Co(II) was readily desorbed by nitric acid (HNO 3 ). All parameters affecting the adsorption and/or desorption of Co(II), including initial Co(II) concentration, pH value, temperature, HNO 3 concentration, and time, were optimized. The kinetic data analysis showed that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and fit well into the Langmuir isotherm equation. Notably, the nanocomposite can be used four times without significantly losing adsorbent capability. The Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and FTIR spectra analysis also revealed that the adsorption mechanism may be mainly a chemical adsorption dominated process.

Keywords: nanocomposite; cobalt(II); adsorption; desorption; kinetic; isotherms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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