Highly selective and effective removal of uranium from contaminated drinking water using a novel PAN/AgX/ZnO nanocomposite

• PAN/AgX/ZnO adsorbent is used for removal of uranium ions from contaminated water.
• An uranium removal efficiency of 99.8% by PAN/AgX/ZnO nanocomposite is obtained.
• Excellent adsorption is obtained in the presence of other ions existing in water.

A novel PAN/AgX/ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized and used for the removal of uranium ions from contaminated waters. NaX nanozeolite was successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal technique. Ion exchange method was used to modify it by Ag+ cations. Then ZnO nanoparticles were loaded on the AgX nanozeolite by the ion exchange method which was followed by a calcinations process. Various characterization methods such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) were utilized to analyze the synthesized absorbents including bulk NaX zeolite, NaX nanozeolite, and PAN/AgX/ZnO nanocomposite. The experiments of uranium adsorption were conducted at different solution temperatures, contact times, initial uranium ion concentration and adsorbent dose by using batch method. Results showed that the novel PAN/AgX/ZnO adsorbent had a better adsorption performance rather than the micro and nano sized NaX zeolite. This demonstrated the immense potential of newly synthesized adsorbent as an alternative adsorbent for heavy metal ion remediation in polluted waters and wastewaters.

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