Removal of 60Co2+ and 137Cs+ ions from low radioactive solutions using Azolla caroliniana willd. water fern

• Authors: Karin Popa , Alexandru Cecal , Doina Humelnicu , Ioan Caraus , Camelia Draghici
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This study concerns the removal of the 137Cs+ and 60Co2+ β+γ-radioactive ions in Azolla caroliniana Willd. water fern. The living fern and two different types of biosorbent prepared from Azolla caroliniana were tested to remove the above-mentioned radioactive ions from dilute solutions, in the absence and in the presence of the ionic competition. Effective 137Cs+ and 60Co2+ ions removal from low radioactive wastewaters was demonstrated. The time dependent K
d(t) values were calculated from the absorption data. These results indicate that removal process achieved equilibrium in about 120 min and that it involves two steps: rapid and slow absorption; the active process (metabolic bioaccumulation on the living fern) was responsible for above one half of the total removal process. A thin layer radiochromatography study leads to the conclusion that the biochemical components in which 137Cs+ and 60Co2+ place themselves are of a polysaccharide and lipoid fractions.

Keywords

EN

anthropogenic radionuclides; Azolla caroliniana Willd. ; biosorption

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Open Chemistry
• Year: 2004
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 434-445

Dates

published

1 - 9 - 2004

online

1 - 9 - 2004

Contributors

author

Karin Popa

• Faculty of Chemistry, “Al.I. Cuza” University, 11-Carol I Bd., 700506, Ia§i, Romania

author

Alexandru Cecal

• Faculty of Chemistry, “Al.I. Cuza” University, 11-Carol I Bd., 700506, Ia§i, Romania

author

Doina Humelnicu

• Faculty of Chemistry, “Al.I. Cuza” University, 11-Carol I Bd., 700506, Ia§i, Romania

author

Ioan Caraus

• Faculty of Biology, University of Bacau, 157-Calea Mârâ§e§ti, 600115, Bacâu, Romania

author

Camelia Draghici

• Faculty of Material Science and Engineering, “Transilvania” University, 50-Iuliu Maniu Str., 50091, Bra§ov, Romania

References

• [1] K.H. Lieser: “Radionuclides in the geosphere: Sources, mobility, reaction in natural waters and interaction with solids”, Radiochim. Acta, Vol. 70/71, (1990), pp. 355–375.
• [2] E.V. Kvasnikova, E.D. Stukin, V.N. Golosov, N.N. Ivanova and A.V. Panin: “Caesium-137 behaviour in small agricultural catchments on the area of the Chernobyl contamination”, Czech. J. Phys., Vol. 49, No. 1, (1999), pp. 181–187.
• [3] B.C. Wolverton: NASA Technical Memorandum TM-X-72721/1975.
• [4] A. Cecal, I. Palamaru, K. Popa, I. Caraus, V. Rudic and A. Gulea: “Accumulation of 60Co2+ and UO22 ions on hydrophytae plants” Isotopes Environm. Health Stud., Vol. 35, (1999), pp. 213–219.
• [5] A. Cecal K. Popa, I. Caraus and I.I. Craciun: “Uranium and thorium uptake on the hydrophilic plants”, In: B.J. Merkel, B. Planer-Friederich and C. Wolkersdorfer (Eds.), Uranium in the Aquatic Environment, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, 2002, pp. 479–488.
• [6] A. Cecal, K. Popa, I. Caraus and V. Potoroaca: “65Zn2+ removal on hydrophytic plant”, Isotopes Environm. Health Stud., Vol. 38, (2002), pp. 33–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10256010212977[Crossref]
• [7] P.G. Bergamini, G. Palmas, F. Piantelli, M. Sani, P. Banditelli, M. Previtera and F. Sodi: “Study of 137Cs absorption by Lemna minor”, Health Phys., Vol. 37, (1979), pp. 315–321. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004032-197909000-00006[Crossref]
• [8] T.G. Hinton, C.M. Bell, F.W. Whicker and T. Philippi: “Temporal changes and factors influencing 137Cs concentration in vegetal colonizing an exposed lake bed over a three-year period”, J. Environm. Rad., Vol. 44, No. 1, (1999), pp. 1–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(98)00074-5[Crossref]
• [9] D.H. Oughton, P. Børretzen, B. Salbu and E. Tronstad: “Mobilization of 137Cs and 90Sr from sediments: potential source to arctic waters”, Sci. Tot. Environm., Vol. 202, No. 1–3, (1997), pp. 155–165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(97)00112-5[Crossref]
• [10] P. Ciffroy, J.M. Garnier and M.K. Pham: “Kinetics of the adsorption and desorption of radionuclides of Co, Mn, Cs, Fe, Ag and Cd in freshwater systems: experimental and modeling approaches”, J. Environm. Rad., Vol. 55, No. 1, (2001), pp. 71–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(01)00026-1[Crossref]
• [11] G.M. Gadd: “Microbial interactions with metals/ radionuclide: the basis of bioremediation”, In: M.J. Keith-Roach and F.R. Livens (Eds.): Interactions of microorganisms with radionuclides, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2002, pp. 179–204.
• [12] B. Wolterbeek: “Biomonitoring of trace element air pollution: principles, possibilities and perspective”, Environ. Poll., Vol. 120, No. 1, (2002), pp. 11–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(02)00124-0[Crossref]
• [13] E.C.S. Little: “Handbook of utilization of aquatic plants. A review of world literature”, FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, No. 187, FIRI/T187, Rome, (1979), pp. 176–188.
• [14] D.R. Hoagland: “Optimum nutrient solution for plants”, Science, Vol. 52, (1969), pp. 562–564.
• [15] J. Yang and B. Volesky: “Biosorption of uranium by Sargassum biomass”, Water Res., Vol. 33, (1999), pp. 3357–3363. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00043-3[Crossref]
• [16] A. Cecal, K. Popa, V. Potoroaca and N. Puica-Melniciuc: “Decontamination of radioactive liquid wastes by hydrophilic vegetal organisms”, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., Vol. 251, (2002), pp. 257–561. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1014864226648[Crossref]
• [17] F. Veglio’ and F. Beolchini: “Removal of metals by biosorption: a review”, Hydrometallurgy, Vol. 44, (1997), pp. 301–316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-386X(96)00059-X[Crossref]
• [18] T.A. Davis, B. Volesky and A. Mucci: “A review of the biochemistry of heavy metal biosorption by brown algae”, Water Res., Vol. 37, (2003), pp. 4311–4330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(03)00293-8[Crossref]
• [19] J. Magill: “Nuclides.net: an integrated environment for computations on radionuclides and their radiation”, Springer, Berlin, 2003.

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/BF02476199