Inorganic silica gel functionalized tris(2-aminoethyl)amine moiety for capturing aqueous uranium (VI) ion

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 325; no. 2; pp. 605 - 623
• Main Authors: Al-Anber, Mohammed A., Al-Momani, Idrees F., Zaitoun, Mohammed A., Al-Qaisi, Wala’
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.08.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chemisorption; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diagnostic Radiology; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry; Silica gel; Silicon dioxide; Sorption; Uranium; Water purification; Sorption; Silica gel; Pseudo-second order; Tris(2-aminoethyl)amine; Uranium ion; Freundlich isotherm
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-020-07270-x
• ISSN: 0236-5731

The silica gel functionalized tris(2-aminoethyl)amine moiety (SG-TAEA-NH 2 ) has been successfully used for capturing aqueous uranium ion by batch sorption. Various sorption experiments are performed using several variables such as pH, initial concentration, contact time, and temperature. These variables enable us to study the thermodynamic and kinetic of sorption, which in turn, leads to know more about the interaction and behavior of the uranium ion on the surface. The equilibrium of sorption can be achieved within the first t  = 5–10 min upon the study conditions ( C i  = 1 mg L −1 , T  = 25 °C, 80 rpm, p H i  = 7, and dosage = 2 g L −1 ). The sorption of U(IV) ion onto the surface of SG-TAEA-NH 2 material. The sorption of U(VI) ion follows the Freundlich isotherm model ( R 2  > 0.999). The motivation of sorption is due to the chemisorption of U(IV) ion onto an amino-active site forming a complex in the surface, which is proven through the values of (1) the Dubinin–Kaganer–Radushkevich sorption energy (ca. E  = − 24 to − 36), (2) the pseudo-second-order kinetic model ( R 2  > 0.999) and (3) the spectrum of the FTIR. The rate constant and sorption capacities are calculated. Based on these promising results, we recommend using SG-TAEA-NH 2 as an effective adsorbent and filter to remove uranium ion from the water up to 99%.