Sorption of uranium from aqueous solutions with graphene oxide

To explore the possible application of graphene oxide (GO) as a suitable adsorbent for the removal of U(VI) in solutions, sorption of uranium on GO was investigated as a function of pH, ionic strength, foreign ions and U(VI) concentrations using a batch technique. The results showed that the sorption of U(VI) was strongly pH-dependant and the influences of foreign ions were not significant. The sorption isotherm can be described by the Langmuir model, and the thermodynamic parameters indicated that the sorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. The results suggest that GO is a promising adsorbent for U(VI).National Natural Science Foundation of China [11075006, 91026010]; Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China [20120001110082]; State Administration of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence [2007-840, 2012-851]SCI(E)ARTICLEliucl@pku.edu.cn31017-102530