The effects of pH,contact time and natural organic ligands on radionuclide Eu(Ⅲ) adsorption and mechanism on titanate nanotubes(TNTs) are studied by a combination of batch and extended X-ray absorption fine structure(EXAFS) techniques.Macroscopic measurements show that the adsorption is ionic strength dependent at pH < 6.0,but ionic strength independent at pH > 6.0.The presence of humic acid(HA) /fulvic acid(FA) increases Eu(Ⅲ) adsorption on TNTs at low pH,but reduces Eu(Ⅲ) adsorption at high pH.The results of EXAFS analysis indicate that Eu(Ⅲ) adsorption on TNTs is dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation at pH < 6.0,whereas by inner-sphere surface complexation at pH > 6.0.At pH < 6.0,Eu(Ⅲ) consists of ~ 9 O atoms at REu?O ≈ 2.40 in the first coordination sphere,and a decrease in NEu-O with increasing pH indicates the introduction of more asymmetry in the first sphere of adsorbed Eu(Ⅲ).At long contact time or high pH values,the Eu(Ⅲ) consists of ~2 Eu at REu-Eu ≈ 3.60 and ~ 1 Ti at REu-Ti ≈ 4.40 ,indicating the formation of inner-sphere surface complexation,surface precipitation or surface polymers.Surface adsorbed HA/FA on TNTs modifies the species of adsorbed Eu(Ⅲ) as well as the local atomic structures of adsorbed Eu(Ⅲ) on HA/FA-TNT hybrids.Adsorbed Eu(Ⅲ) on HA/FA-TNT hybrids forms both ligand-bridging ternary surface complexes(Eu-HA/FA-TNTs) as well as surface complexes in which Eu(Ⅲ) remains directly bound to TNT surface hydroxyl groups(i.e.,binary Eu-TNTs or Eu-bridging ternary surface complexes(HA/FA-Eu-TNTs)).The findings in this work are important to describe Eu(Ⅲ) interaction with nanomaterials at molecular level and will help to improve the understanding of Eu(Ⅲ) physicochemical behavior in the natural environment.
The interaction between radionuclides and solid/water interfaces is important to understand the physicochemical processes of radionuclides in the natural environment.Herein,the interaction of 60Co(Ⅱ) with TiO 2 in aqueous solution as a function of pH and ionic strength was studied by using batch technique combined with surface complexation model and density functional theory(DFT) calculations.The batch experimental results showed that the adsorption of 60Co(Ⅱ) was dependent on pH and independent of ionic strength,indicating the formation of inner-sphere surface complexes on TiO 2 surfaces.The results of surface complexation models and DFT calculations indicated that the surface species of 60Co(Ⅱ) adsorbed on TiO 2 followed the trend:B structure(i.e.,60Co(Ⅱ) was linked to one bridge oxygen site) was the dominant surface species at low pH,and TT structure(i.e.,60Co(Ⅱ) was linked to two terminal oxygen sites) became the important surface complex at neutral and alkaline pH values.These results demonstrated that a multi-technique approach could lead to definitive information on the structures of adsorbed 60Co(Ⅱ) at the molecular level at the TiO 2 /water interfaces,as well as realistic models to rationalize and accurately evaluate the macroscopic manifestations of radionuclide adsorption phenomena.
The sorption behavior and microscopic sequestration mechanisms of radionuclide 63Ni(II) on mordenite as a function of aging time, ionic srength, initial 63Ni(II) concentrations, solid content and coexistent electrolyte ions were investigated by the combination of batch and EXAFS techniques. Macroscopic experiment results show that the sorption of 63Ni(II) is dependent on ionic strength at pH〈7, and independent of ionic strength at pH〉7. The sorption percentage of 63Ni(II) on mordenite increases with increasing solid content, while the sorption capacity decreases as solid content increases. The presence of different electrolyte ions can enhance or inhibit the sorption of Ni(II) on mordenite in various degrees. EXAFS analysis results of the sam- ples under three different ionic strengths suggest that the retained 63Ni(II) in these samples exists in an octahedral environment with six water ligands. In the initial period of rapid uptake, the sorption of 63Ni(II) is dominated by the formation of innersphere surface complexes. As aging time increases, 63Ni(II) sequestration behavior tends to be mainly controlled by the formation of Ni phyllosilicate coprecipitates and/or Ni(OH)2(s) precipitates. Results for the second shell fit of the sample prepared at an initial 63Ni(II) concentration of 100 mg/L indicate the possible formation of Ni polynuclear surface complexes. Both the macroscopic sorption data and the molecular level evidence of 63Ni(II) surface speciation at the mordenite/water interfaces should be factored into better predictions of the mobility and bioavailability of 63Ni(II) in environment mediums.
YANG ShiTong,SHENG GuoDong,GUO ZhiQiang,TAN XiaoLi,XU JinZhang & WANG XiangKe Key Laboratory of Novel Thin Film Solar Cells,Institute of Plasma Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Hefei 230031,China