Removal of U(VI) by sugar-based magnetic pseudo-graphene oxide and its application to authentic groundwater using electromagnetic system

Uranium U(VI) is toxic even at trace levels in aqueous solution and has adverse impacts on the health of human beings. In this study, a sugar-based magnetic pseudo-graphene oxide (SMGO) composite was prepared for the removal of U(VI) from groundwater by graphitization of sugar and ozonation, as well as synthesis with nano-size magnetite particles. To investigate the applicability of SMGO, U(VI)-spiked groundwater as well as U(VI)-contaminated groundwater samples were used in electromagnetic system. The pH-edge adsorption results suggest that adsorption occurs via an inner-sphere surface complex with an optimized pH of 4, where UO22+ is the dominant U(VI) species. The adsorption isotherm results confirmed that the adsorption of U(VI) onto SMGO occurred via a monolayer process on the homogeneous surface of SMGO and the maximum removal capacity of U(VI) was 28.2 mg/g. The high-gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) principle was applied to U(VI) removal using SMGO to facilitate recovery and the repeated use of the adsorbent during multiple batch cycles. The results indicated that the initial U(VI) concentration (439.1 mu g/L) was reduced to a value less than the standard level of U(VI) for drinking water (30 mu g/L) during six batch cycles and the separation efficiency was 95.2%. As such, SMGO and electromagnetic system using the HGMS principle are promising technologies for the removal of U(VI) in groundwater.