An investigation on the efficiency of low-cost adsorbents in removing uranium from water samples
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
An investigation on the efficiency of low‑cost adsorbents in removing uranium from water samples Sandeep Police1,2 · Sukanta Maity1,2 · Dilip Kumar Chaudhary1 · Sanjay Kumar Sahu1,2 · A. Vinod Kumar1,2 Received: 16 September 2019 / Accepted: 30 August 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The groundwater samples were found to be contaminated with high concentrations of uranium (U) in Punjab state as well as in few other locations of India. U being chemically toxic can deteriorate health when ingested. Hence, there is a need to remove U from contaminated water using an efficient, cheap and user friendly method. A study was initiated to investigate the efficiency of low-cost adsorbents in removing U from water. Seven adsorbents were screened for U removal efficiency, among which fly ash (FA) and tea waste (TW) were found to have better removal efficiency. Solid–liquid contact time and solution pH were optimized to establish conditions for better U removal efficiency. The U adsorption on FA and TW followed pseudo-second-order kinetics with rate constant values 4.63 g/mg/min and 15.63 g/mg/min, respectively. FA and TW had the highest U removal capability at pH 6 and pH 4, respectively. The U sorption data were fitted with Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models. The U adsorption on FA and TW is found to be a physical process with mean free energy (E) values less than 8 kJ/mol. Theoretically calculated maximum adsorption capacity values indicate that FA is a better adsorbent as compared to TW, which has been further confirmed experimentally. The U adsorption on both the adsorbents has interference from Ca2+ and no interference from Fe3+ at tested U concentrations. It is also found that FA and TW are effective in decontaminating U from spiked real groundwater samples to below the WHO (Guidelines for drinking water quality, 4th ed, vol 1, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2011) limit. Keywords Uranium · Low-cost adsorbents · Batch method · Dubinin–Radushkevich and Freundlich isotherm
Introduction Aquatic environmental contamination is currently one of the most important issues faced globally (Idrees et al. 2018; He et al. 2018; Dı́az-Cruz and Barceló 2008). Among various contaminants of serious concern, heavy metals such as As, Se, Pb, Cr, Hg, Cd, U are important since they are nonbiodegradable and toxic (Pietrelli et al. 2019; Gupta et al. 2001; El-Bayaa et al. 2009). They can accumulate in living organisms through the ingestion causing various disorders in human and can also have negative impacts on agriculture and aquatic species (Babel et al. 2003a, b; Mishra and Patel * Sanjay Kumar Sahu [email protected] 1
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Division, Health Safety and Environment Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
2
2009). Major Indian population depends on groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. Hence, it is important to have contamination-free water supply for vari
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