Innovative synthesis of modified cellulose derivative as a uranium adsorbent from carbonate solutions of radioactive deposits

This work was an attempt to prepare a new eco-friendly adsorbent for the recovery of uranium from the Egyptian radioactive deposits. So, cellulose/p-toluidine was prepared as a potential sorbent for uranium (VI) in highly alkaline solutions, from a condensation reaction of p-toluene with dialdehyde cellulose which resulting from periodate selective oxidative of cellulose. We have studied the kinetics, isotherm models, and thermodynamic of uranium adsorption from aqueous solutions by dissolved the deposits uranium in sodium carbonate aqueous solution. The effect of adsorption time, and temperature, pH, as well as uranium concentration on adsorption capacity were investigated. The adsorption capacity of uranium by cellulose p-toluidine has been found to attain 80 mg/g. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to study the morphological characterization, and chemical structure of the prepared adsorbent. In addition, the computational calculation of dialdehyde cellulose, p-toluidine, and cellulose/p-toluidine by DFT/B3LYP/6-31G (d) basis sets was studied. The adsorption of uranium using cellulose p-toluidine followed fitted with pseudo-second-order reaction as well as Langmuir isotherm. Also, the prepared adsorbent displayed excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, E. coli and Candida albicans.