Potentiality of zirconium phosphate synthesized from zircon mineral for uptaking uranium

Abstract

Zirconium phosphate (ZP), an inorganic ion exchanger, has been synthesized from zircon mineral, characterized, and used as a potential adsorbent for removing U(VI) from nitrate solution with varying background conditions including pH, shaking time, U(VI) initial concentrations, temperature and phase ratio. Batch results for uranium adsorption showed that the adsorption process reached steady-state condition within 30 min., and all the dissolved U(VI) was removed by ZP at pH 5, 298K and at (S/A) 0.1g/25 mL. Uranium adsorption process followed a traditional Langmuir adsorption isotherm, endothermic and spontaneous in nature which emphasized from thermodynamic data. The higher thermal stability of Zr-P amorphous material makes it applicable and efficient adsorbent for removing U(VI).