Improvement of the sorption behavior of aluminum silicate composite toward 134Cs and 60Co radionuclides by non-living biomass of Chlorella vulgaris

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2020-06, Vol.27 (17), p.21109-21125
• Main Authors: Dakroury, Gehan Abdel Rahman, Abo-Zahra, Shereen Fathy, Hassan, Hisham Soliman, Ali, Hamdy Elsayed Ahmed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum; Aluminum silicates; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomass; Cesium; Cesium 134; Cesium isotopes; Chlorella; Chlorella vulgaris; Cobalt; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Endothermic reactions; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Half-life; Isotopes; Mathematical analysis; Particle size distribution; Pore size; Pore size distribution; Porosity; Radioactive half-life; Radioactive waste disposal; Radioactive wastes; Radioisotopes; Research Article; Size distribution; Sorbents; Sorption; Waste management; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08260-y

Cesium and cobalt radioactive isotopes ( 134 Cs and 60 Co) are dangerous to human health due to their long half-life about 2.1 and 5.3 year, respectively. Developing a new composite used as an efficient sorbent for these is an urgent requirement for radioactive waste management. Herein, preparation of different materials such as aluminum silicate (AS), cultured of Chlorella vulgaris (NCV) alga, and aluminum silicate/ Chlorella vulgaris (AS/NCV) composite 3:1 were prepared by wet chemical technique and used to remove the 134 Cs and 60 Co radionuclides. Different analytical techniques were used to characterize the prepared sorbents as SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, TGA/DTA, FTIR particle size analyzer, and pore size distribution. The factors affecting the sorption process as pH, temperature, contact time, and weight of adsorbent were studied. The sorption process was found to follow a pseudo-second-order mechanism. The monolayer capacity for 134 Cs radionuclide onto the aluminum silicate, non-living Chlorella vulgaris biomass, and aluminum silicate/ Chlorella vulgaris composites are 66.67, 83.54, and 90.11 mg/g, respectively, and for 60 Co radionuclide are 59.31, 91.99, and 99.24 mg/g, respectively. The values of thermodynamic parameters indicate that the sorption process is endothermic and spontaneous.