Salvadora Persica branches biomass adsorbent for removal of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) from aqueous solution: kinetics and thermodynamics study

Abstract

Adsorption isotherms of U(VI) and Th(IV) in water were obtained and removal kinetics was studied. The main functional groups on the surface of Salvadora Persica branches adsorbent were identified using a Fourier-transform infrared and the surface morphology of adsorbent was characterized by a Scanning Electron Microscope. Effects of the U(VI) and Th(IV) initial concentrations, contact time, the mass of adsorbent loading, pH of the solution were investigated at 25 ± 0.3 °C. The efficiencies with which this adsorbent removes U(VI) and Th(IV) from their solutions in water are reported. The adsorption isotherm fitted the Freundlich model. The adsorption of U(VI) and Th(IV) follows the pseudo-second order kinetic with squared correlation coefficients (R2) close to 1.0. The thermodynamic parameters (i.e. the free energy (ΔGadso), the enthalpy (ΔHadso) and the entropy of adsorption (ΔSadso) for the adsorption of U(VI) and Th(IV) on the Salvadora Persica branches adsorbent were reported.