HAMID SEPEHRIAN - Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, P.O Box ۱۱۳۶.۵/۸۴۸۶, Tehran, IRAN
ZAHRA ASADI - Department of Energy Engineering, Sharif University of Technology,Azadi Ave., Tehran, IRAN
MOHAMMAD SAMADFAM - Department of Energy Engineering, Sharif University of Technology,Azadi Ave., Tehran, IRAN
FATEMEHI SEMNANI - Department of Energy Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Ave., Tehran, IRAN

In this work, the effect of contact time between the nano adsorbent and aqueous solution, temperature, initial concentration of uranium and the interference of some anions (such as sulfate, nitrate, chloride, fluoride and phosphate) were investigated. The experimental adsorption isotherm is successfully described by Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity was 18.08 mg-g (in presence of sulfate). Uranium sorption on nanoprous MCM-41 is a fast process in presence of sulfate. The adsorption of uranium on nanoporous MCM-41 follows pseudo-second-order kinetics. Thermodynamic parameters such as, AH, AS and AG were calculated. The adsorption process was found to be endothermic. The enthalpy change for uranium sorption with nanoporous MCM-41 estimated as 23.87 KJ.mol, indicating that the adsorption of uranium by nanoporous MCM-41 to a chemical reaction. The results, obtained by batch experiments, showed that the presence of high concentration of nitrate, sulfate, chloride and phosphate anions alone had not any interference for uranium recovery. But presence of fluoride ions (> 250 mg/L) decrease uranium sorption rate until about 55%. The results also showed that the presence of phosphate ions (about 300 mg/L) in solution was removed fluoride interference completely.

Adsorption Studies, Nanoporous MCM-41, Uranium recovery, Anions interference