Prussian blue non-woven filter for cesium removal from drinking water

• Cesium removal from tap waters using Prussian blue non-woven fabric was studied.
• The maximum adsorption capacities of cesium with fabric were estimated.
• The column tests with high-turbidity real raw waters were conducted.
• All PB treatments led to quality tap water with high cesium removals.

Cesium (Cs) removal from tap waters is an emerging issue after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster. Adsorbents highly specific to Cs in the presence of other alkali and alkali earth metals are desired to supply safe drinking waters to residents near the contaminated area. This work for the first time used Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles implemented non-woven fabric as an efficient adsorbent for Cs removal. Adsorption isotherms were obtained using Langmuir equation at 288, 298 and 308 K, from which the maximum adsorption capacities were estimated as 216, 241, 260 mg/g. The studied PB-Cs adsorption was endothermic process while its capacity was lower in acid than in alkaline solutions. The column tests with synthetic raw water and pilot plant column with low and high-turbidity real raw waters revealed almost complete removal of Cs by sufficiently long contact time. All PB treatments had no noticeable effects on water quality while the produced water had no biological acute toxicities. Use of PB non-woven fabric for decontaminating Cs pollution in drinking water was discussed.