Strippable Polymeric Nanocomposites Comprising "Green" Chelates, for the Removal of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 13; no. 23; p. 4194
• Main Authors: Toader, Gabriela, Pulpea, Daniela, Rotariu, Traian, Diacon, Aurel, Rusen, Edina, Moldovan, Andreea, Podaru, Alice, Ginghină, Raluca, Alexe, Florentina, Iorga, Ovidiu, Bajenaru, Sorina Aurora, Ungureanu, Mihai, Dîrloman, Florin, Pulpea, Bogdan, Leonat, Lucia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 30.11.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Bentonite; Biodegradation; Cesium 137; Cesium isotopes; Chelation; Coatings; complexing agents; Decontamination; Environmental impact; Environmental protection; Firing ranges; Hazardous materials; heavy metal; Heavy metals; Laboratories; Mechanical properties; nanocomposite; Nanocomposites; Nuclear accidents & safety; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear weapons; Polymer films; Polymers; Polyvinyl alcohol; Radioactive wastes; Radioisotopes; Sodium alginate; strippable coating; Strontium 90; surface decontamination; Textiles; Thermodynamic properties; Viscosity; Water purification; Yttrium; “green” chelates; complexing agents; surface decontamination; “green” chelates; radioactive material; heavy metal; nanocomposite; strippable coating; radionuclide
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym13234194

The issue of heavy metal and radionuclide contamination is still causing a great deal of concern worldwide for environmental protection and industrial sites remediation. Various techniques have been developed for surface decontamination aiming for high decontamination factors (DF) and minimal environmental impact, but strippable polymeric nanocomposite coatings are some of the best candidates in this area. In this study, novel strippable coatings for heavy metal and radionuclides decontamination were developed based on the film-forming ability of polyvinyl alcohol, with the remarkable metal retention capacity of bentonite nanoclay, together with the chelating ability of sodium alginate and with "new-generation" "green" complexing agents: iminodisuccinic acid (IDS) and 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC). These environmentally friendly water-based decontamination solutions are capable of generating strippable polymeric films with optimized mechanical and thermal properties while exhibiting high decontamination efficiency (DF ≈ 95-98% for heavy metals tested on glass surface and DF ≈ 91-97% for radionuclides Am, Sr-Y and Cs on metal, painted metal, plastic, and glass surfaces).