Issue 1, 2024

Core–shell Ag@polypyrrole for synchronous pre-enrichment and immobilization of iodine (I, IO3) from liquid radioactive wastes

Abstract

Radioiodine is of great concern owing to its high mobility in the environment and long-term radiotoxicity, and effective techniques for the simultaneous removal of iodide (I) and iodate (IO3) from aqueous solutions remain a significant challenge. Here, Ag@polypyrrole core–shell nanoparticles (Ag@PPy) were synthesized in situ and constructed by synergistic enrichment and immobilization as a desirable iodine nano-adsorbent. Its performance benefits from the ability for anions to be pre-enriched on the surface of Ag@PPy via electrostatic force through the positively charged polypyrrole with nitrogen-containing groups and then immobilized in the core–shell nanostructure with nanosilver as a reactive center. These efforts gave rise to Ag@PPy exhibiting an ultrahigh iodide adsorption capacity (788.7 mg g−1) and desirable iodate uptake capacity (133.9 mg g−1). More importantly, in the low-concentration region, Ag@PPy is able to almost completely remove I and IO3 from aqueous solution even in the presence of competitive anions such as Cl, SO42−, NO3 and CO32−, with a distribution coefficient Kd of up to 3.90 × 105 and 2.30 × 105 mL g−1, respectively. Unexpectedly, this core–shell nanostructure endows silver-based materials with high stability under acid–base conditions, and reduces the leaching rate approximately 10-fold compared to silver powder at near-neutral pH. This work highlights the feasibility of using Ag-containing nanomaterials to separate radioiodine from liquid environments.

Graphical abstract: Core–shell Ag@polypyrrole for synchronous pre-enrichment and immobilization of iodine (I−, IO3−) from liquid radioactive wastes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 set 2023
Accepted
13 nov 2023
First published
15 nov 2023

Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024,11, 149-160

Core–shell Ag@polypyrrole for synchronous pre-enrichment and immobilization of iodine (I, IO3) from liquid radioactive wastes

Q. Zhao, R. Liu, Z. Wang, G. Chen, T. Duan and L. Zhu, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024, 11, 149 DOI: 10.1039/D3EN00675A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements