Linear and Non Linear Recognition for the Sorption of 60Co and 152+154Eu Radionuclides onto Bio CuO Nanocomposite

Abstract

A novel nanocomposite was prepared by hybridizing polyacrylic acid/maleic acid with nano copper oxide (PAACMA/CuO) for the sorption of 60Co (II) and 152+154Eu (III) radionuclides from an aqueous solution. Nano-CuO was biochemically produced by hydrolysing its salt in the presence of the Aspergillus terreus fungus. The PAACMA/CuO nanocomposite was characterized using a variety of analytical techniques. The optimum sorption conditions (pH 4.5 for 60Co and pH 3.53 for 152+154Eu, 24 h of equilibrium time at 20 oC) were applied. The kinetic mechanism of the sorption reaction was controlled by pseudo second order based on residual charts, coefficient of determination (R2), and corrected Akaike information Criterion (AICc). The sorption reaction mechanism was controlled by Langmuir model for linear regression using the coefficient of determination and the Dubinin-Radushkevich D-R model for the AICc and residual plots error functions. The reaction mechanism throughout non-linear regression was controlled by the D-R model due to the coefficient of determination, AICc, and residual charts. The PAACMA/CuO nanocomposite had a mono-layer adsorption capacity of 11.04 mg g− 1 for Co (II) and 21.54 mg g− 1 for Eu (III). According to desorption studies, Co (II) and Eu (III) could be recovered by 0.1 mol L− 1 EDTA with efficiencies 55.46% and 95.044%, respectively. According to thermodynamic studies, the sorption of Co (II) and Eu (III) on the prepared composite was endothermic and spontaneous.