Issue 36, 2023

Recent progress in high-performance environmental impacts of the removal of radionuclides from wastewater based on metal–organic frameworks: a review

Abstract

The nuclear industry is rapidly developing and the effective management of nuclear waste and monitoring the nuclear fuel cycle are crucial. The presence of various radionuclides such as uranium (U), europium (Eu), technetium (Tc), iodine (I), thorium (Th), cesium (Cs), and strontium (Sr) in the environment is a major concern, and the development of materials with high adsorption capacity and selectivity is essential for their effective removal. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as promising materials for removing radioactive elements from water resources due to their unique properties such as tunable pore size, high surface area, and chemical structure. This review provides an extensive analysis of the potential of MOFs as adsorbents for purifying various radionuclides rather than using different techniques such as precipitation, filtration, ion exchange, electrolysis, solvent extraction, and flotation. This review discusses various MOF fabrication methods, focusing on minimizing environmental impacts when using organic solvents and solvent-free methods, and covers the mechanism of MOF adsorption towards radionuclides, including macroscopic and microscopic views. It also examines the effectiveness of MOFs in removing radionuclides from wastewater, their behavior on exposure to high radiation, and their renewability and reusability. We conclude by emphasizing the need for further research to optimize the performance of MOFs and expand their use in real-world applications. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the potential of MOFs as efficient and durable materials for removing radioactive elements from water resources, addressing a critical issue in the nuclear industry.

Graphical abstract: Recent progress in high-performance environmental impacts of the removal of radionuclides from wastewater based on metal–organic frameworks: a review

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
21 jun 2023
Accepted
01 aug 2023
First published
23 aug 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2023,13, 25182-25208

Recent progress in high-performance environmental impacts of the removal of radionuclides from wastewater based on metal–organic frameworks: a review

S. M. Sheta, M. A. Hamouda, O. I. Ali, A. T. Kandil, R. R. Sheha and S. M. El-Sheikh, RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 25182 DOI: 10.1039/D3RA04177H

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