Synthesis and Sorption Performance of Novel Sorbents for Selective Solid-Phase Extraction of Eu(III) Ions from Aqueous Solutions

Magnesium-cadmium hydroxyapatite [(Mg-Cd)HAP] and novel multi-wall carbon nanotubes Mg-Cd hydroxyapatite (CNTs/(Mg-Cd)HAP) composites were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The synthesized sorbents were characterized using BET surface area measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). They have possessed specific surface area of 34.85 and 60.41 m2 g–1 for (Mg-Cd)HAP and CNTs/(Mg-Cd)HAP, respectively. Furthermore, the synthesized sorbents were applied in removal of Eu(III) ions from aqueous solutions. Sorption performance of the synthesized sorbents towards Eu(III) ions was studied under different sorption parameters such as equilibration time, sample mass, solution pH and ionic strength. Sorption of europium reached equilibrium within 6 h at pH 2.5. The maximum sorption capacity (Qmax) was 137.31 and 151.47 mg g–1 for sorption of Eu(III) onto (Mg-Cd)HAP and CNTs/(Mg-Cd) HAP, respectively. Kinetically, the sorption process followed the pseudo-second-order model and both film and pore diffusions participated in ruling the diffusion of Eu(III) ions. Equilibrium sorption data of Eu(III) were analyzed using Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°) for sorption of Eu(III) onto the synthesized sorbents were determined and the reaction is found to be feasible, spontaneous and endothermic process.