Preparation and modification of forcespun polypropylene nanofibers for adsorption of uranium (VI) from simulated seawater.

In this paper, polypropylene (PP) nanofibers were prepared using the melt forcespinning technology by a handmade device. Then, the surface of PP nanofibers was grafted through the high energy electron beams (EB) pre-irradiation method by acrylonitrile and methacrylic acid monomers with grafting percentage of 145.55%. The 92% of grafted cyano functional groups on nanofibers were converted to amidoxime groups, then modified by an alkaline solution. Characterization and surface morphology of nanofibers were investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The produced adsorbent was used to adsorb U(VI) ions from simulated seawater. The maximum adsorption was 83.24 mg/g in the optimal time of 60 min and optimal pH of 4. The optimum desorption efficiency was 80% in HCl 0.5 M. The kinetic data in optimum conditions showed that the adsorption followed an S-shaped kinetic model. The Adsorption equilibrium studies presented S-shape isotherm model that confirmed the adsorption occurs both on the adsorbent surface and in its pores The thermodynamic studies indicated spontaneous adsorption of uranyl ions and the higher efficiency adsorption at higher temperatures. The selectivity of adsorbent for metal ions followed the order V(V)>U(VI)>CO(II)>Ni(II)>Fe(II). These results shows that the prepared and modified nanofibers in this work can be considered as an effective and promising adsorbents for removal of uranium ions from seawater with high efficiency.

Iodine-131 radiolabeling of poly ethylene glycol-coated gold nanorods for in vivo imaging.

Gold nanorods (GNRs) can be used in various biomedical applications; however, very little is known about their in vivo tissue distribution by radiolabeling. Here, we have developed a rapid and simple method with high yield and without disturbing their optical properties for radiolabeling of gold rods with iodine-131 in order to track in vivo tissue uptake of GNRs after systemic administration by biodistribution analysis and γ-imaging. Following intravenous injection into rat, PEGylated GNRs have much longer blood circulation times.

Adsorption behavior of trace elements of 90Sr on MnO2-ZrO2 loaded with polyacrylonitrile polymer from aqueous solutions.

A MnO2-ZrO2-polyacrylonitrile (MnO2-ZrO2-PAN) composite ion exchanger was produced and its properties were examined by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, The BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) surface area, X-Ray diffraction analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The adsorption of Strontium (Sr) from solutions by MnO2-ZrO2-PAN composite was studied thru batch experiments. The distribution Coefficient of Sr (II) on the composite sorbent was investigated against pH, interaction time, and primary concentration ion. To study the kinetics of adsorption, Pseudo-first-order and Pseudo second-order adsorption kinetics were studied and the results revealed that adsorption kinetics better fit to the pseudo-second-order model. Three iso-temperature models, Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin were applied to fit the experimental results. Among those models, Langmuir revealed the most suitable one with minimum deviation. The created composite exhibited strong compatibility to the elimination of Y (III), Ni (II), Pb (II), and Co (II) from radioactive waste streams. On the other, it is evident from the data that the quantifiable extraction of Sr (II) ions from Zr (IV), Mo (VI), and La (III) is feasible. MnO2-ZrO2 Loaded with (PAN) Polymer was figured out to have high ion exchange capacity and thermal stability and selectivity for strontium.

Electron beam crosslinking of alginate/nanoclay ink to improve functional properties of 3D printed hydrogel for removing heavy metal ions.

A printable nanocomposite hydrogel was fabricated with intercalation of alginate into clay galleries followed by irradiation crosslinking graft copolymerization acrylic acid to remove inorganic micropollutants from wastewater. In this regard, nanocomposite-based ink was treated by electron beam irradiation (5-60 kGy), and then irradiated inks were printed using an extrusion-based printer. Structural investigates showed that ink suspension formed a crosslinked network upon irradiation, which could preserve its shape during printing and maintain 3D printed architecture. No additional post-print crosslinking was required due to the formation of free radical and remaining in printed hydrogels as shown by electron spin resonance. Printed hydrogels treated with 5 and 60 kGy irradiation experienced instrumental changes, while functional properties of 15-45 kGy irradiated samples were unaffected upon printing. Losing crystallinity and thermal instability of hydrogels after printing were inhibited through irradiation crosslinking. Metal ion adsorption capacity showed that crosslinked printed hydrogels effectively removed heavy metal ions with high-capacity and fast-responsive. Moreover, metal ions adsorption by printed hydrogels was not selective, thus they can be used to remove various metal ion pollutants from wastewater.

Study on physico-mechanical and gamma-ray shielding characteristics of new ternary nanocomposites.

In this study, a series of "Epoxy-Clay-PbO" nanocomposites under the name of ECPNCs were prepared by the molding method, and their physico-mechanical properties were investigated by different techniques. Focus of the work, was on the shielding ability of the ECPNCs for the gamma rays, emitted from Ir-192, Cs-137 and Co-60 with a wide range of energy. Scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry demonstrated that clay platelets were fully exfoliated, and the PbO particles were homogenously distributed in the polymeric matrix. Thermo-gravimetric analysis and standard tensile tests revealed that PbO content has an "increasing/decreasing" effect on "thermal stability/mechanical strength" of the nanocomposites. Gamma shielding experiments showed that efficacy of ECPNCs containing 30 wt% PbO was 47% better than that of concrete. Experimental attenuation data were confirmed by theoretical calculations, so that the maximum difference between them was 14.1%. Furthermore, a correlation was developed between PbO content of the ECPNCs and their mass attenuation coefficient for all gamma sources.

Sediment Source Fingerprinting of the Lake Urmia Sand Dunes.

Aeolian sand dunes are continuously being discovered in inner dry lands and coastal areas, most of which have been formed over the Last Glacial Maximum. Presently, due to some natural and anthropogenic implications on earth, newly-born sand dunes are quickly emerging. Lake Urmia, the world's second largest permanent hypersaline lake, has started shrinking, vast lands comprising sand dunes over the western shore of the lake have appeared and one question has been playing on the minds of nearby dwellers: where are these sand dunes coming from, What there was not 15 years ago!! In the present study, the determination of the source of the Lake Urmia sand dunes in terms of the quantifying relative contribution of each upstream geomorphological/lithological unit has been performed using geochemical fingerprinting techniques. The findings demonstrate that the alluvial and the fluvial sediments of the western upstream catchment have been transported by water erosion and they accumulated in the lower reaches of the Kahriz River. Wind erosion, as a secondary agent, have carried the aeolian sand-sized sediments to the sand dune area. Hence, the Lake Urmia sand dunes have been originating from simultaneous and joint actions of alluvial, fluvial and aeolian processes.

Characterization of nanocomposite film based on chitosan intercalated in clay platelets by electron beam irradiation.

Different electron beam doses (10, 20, 30 and 40kGy) were tested with the purpose of investigating their influences on chitosan/clay (cloisite 20A) nanocomposite film to improve its functional performance by providing a crosslinked matrix. Water resistance, water contact angle and water barrier property of nanocomposite film were increased up to 30kGy, and then drastically decreased at the level of 40kGy. Characteristic diffraction peak of chitosan shifted to low angle with an increase in the interlayer spacing of the nanoclay after 30kGy irradiation, indicating a superlative intercalation. Crystallinity degree of chitosan/clay nanocomposite was increased in the amorphous region as the irradiation dose increased up to 30kGy. However, irradiation at level of 40kGy was converted the crystalline region of nanocomposite film to the amorphous state with losing the chitosan crystallinity. Irradiation increased the film tensile strength due to crosslinking of chitosan chains, with more pronounced effect at 30kGy and decreased it by chain degradation at 40kGy. A glass transition temperature was detected in DSC thermogram of chitosan/clay film, and it shifted to higher temperatures as the irradiation dose increased. Moreover, cold-crystallization exothermic peak of the chitosan/clay film moved to the lower temperature after irradiation, suggesting a faster crystallization rate. FE-SEM showed that the chitosan chains were more intercalated between the nanoclay platelets with increasing the irradiation dose. A progressive decrease in the roughness parameters of 20 and 30kGy irradiated nanocomposite films revealed by atomic force microscopy, whereas irradiation at 40kGy increased roughness values.

Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution using platinum nanopartcles/Zeolite-4A.

The effects of varying operating conditions on metals removal from aqueous solution using a novel platinum nanopartcles/Zeolite-4A adsorbent are reported in this paper. Characterization of the adsorbent showed successful production of platinum nanopartcles on Zeolite-4A using 3 Wt% platinum. The effects of operation conditions on metals removal using this adsorbent were investigated. The optimal metals adsorption was observed at pH 7, 0.1 g/10 mL dosage and 30 min contact time. Sorption data have been interpreted in terms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.

A green protocol for Erlenmeyer-Plöchl reaction by using iron oxide nanoparticles under ultra sonic irradiation.

Azlactones have been prepared via Erlenmeyer synthesis from aromatic aldehydes and hippuric acid using Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles under ultrasonic irradiation. Short reaction times, easy and quick isolation of the products, and excellent yields are the main advantages of this procedure.

Cerium(III) molybdate nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and radionuclides adsorption studies.

Cerium(III) molybdate nanostructure with average size about 40nm was prepared by adding cerium(III) chloride and ammonium molybdate solutions under varying conditions. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauere Emmette Teller (BET) techniques. Ion exchange capacity of the sample for potassium ion and distribution coefficients (K(d)) for 23 metal ions were determined, the K(d) values for Tl(I), Pb(II), Th(IV), U(VI), and Cs(I) ions were found to be sufficiently high for their removal from various effluents. The adsorption behavior of the sample towards Cs(I)(134) species were studied. Finally, the binary separation of Dy(III)-U(VI), Sm(III)-Th(IV) and Cs(I)-Rb(I) and removal of Cs(I)(134) from the real sample were successfully achieved.

Rapid and sensitive determination of benzaldehyde arising from benzyl alcohol used as preservative in an injectable formulation solution using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography.

A rapid and sensitive method has been developed for the determination of benzaldehyde, a toxic oxidation product of the widely used preservative and co-solvent benzyl alcohol in injectable formulations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diclofenac, vitamin B-complex and Voltaren injection solutions by using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography. This method involves the use of an appropriate mixture of extraction solvent (43.0 µL 1,2-dichloroethane) and disperser solvent (1.0 mL acetonitrile) for the formation of a cloudy solution in a 5.0-mL aqueous sample containing benzaldehyde. The linear range was 1.0-1000 µg L(-1), and the limit of detection was 0.2 µg L(-1) for benzaldehyde.

Synthesis and characterization of new ion-imprinted polymer for separation and preconcentration of uranyl (UO2(2+)) ions.

UO(2)(2+) ion-imprinted polymer materials used for solid-phase extraction were prepared by copolymerization of a ternary complex of uranyl ions with styrene and divinyl benzene in the presence of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile. The imprinted particles were leached by HCl 6M. Various parameters in polymerization steps such as DVB/STY ratio, time of polymerization and temperature of polymerization were varied to achieve the most efficient uranyl-imprinted polymer. X-ray diffraction (XRD), infra-red spectroscopy (IR), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis and nitrogen sorption were used to characterize the polymer particles. The XRD results showed that uranyl ions were completely removed from the polymer after leaching process. IR Analysis indicated that the N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylideneiminato) remained intact in the polymer even after leaching. Some parameters such as pH, weight of the polymer, elution time, eluent volume and aqueous phase volume which affects the efficiency of the polymer were studied.

Preconcentration and separation of ultra-trace beryllium using quinalizarine-modified magnetic microparticles.

Magnetically-assisted chemical separation/preconcentration method for the analysis of beryllium from aqueous solutions was developed. According to this method several extractants were coated on certain magnetic microparticles to assist the extraction of beryllium from the aqueous solutions. The influence of different parameters (type and amount of extractant, pH, equilibrium time and ionic strength) was investigated. Also, the interfering effect of various cationic and anionic species on the percent recovery of beryllium was studied. The applied spectrophotometric method showed good linearity and precision at a given wavelength (605.0 nm). Among the extractants used, quinalizarine resulted in almost a full recovery of beryllium at pH 7.4, which was the optimum extraction pH. The equilibrium time of the extraction was 10.0 min. The quantitative re-extraction was carried out by 0.5 M nitric acid. Also, the stability of the extractant-coated magnetic microparticles was 4 cycles (extraction and re-extraction) and the used magnetic microparticles showed good selectivity for beryllium against other cations and anions. Finally, the developed method was applicable for the preconcentration and separation of beryllium from spring water, tap water and certified reference waters. The obtained detection limit was 30 ng L(-1).

Simultaneous extraction and preconcentration of uranium and thorium in aqueous samples by new modified mesoporous silica prior to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry determination.

A new synthesized modified mesoporous silica (MCM-41) using 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde (fural) was applied as an effective sorbent for the solid phase extraction of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions from aqueous solution for the measurement by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). The influences of some analytical parameters on the quantitative recoveries of the analyte ions were investigated in batch method. Under optimal conditions, the analyte ions were sorbed by the sorbent at pH 5.5 and then eluted with 1.0 mL of 1.0 mol L(-1) HNO(3). The preconcentration factor was 100 for a 100mL sample volume. The limits of detection (LOD) obtained for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) were 0.3 microg L(-1). The maximum sorption capacity of the modified MCM-41 was found to be 47 and 49 mg g(-1) for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV), respectively. The sorbent exhibited good stability, reusability, high adsorption capacity and fast rate of equilibrium for sorption/desorption of uranium and thorium ions. The applicability of the synthesized sorbent was examined using CRM and real water samples.

Synthesis of nano-pore samarium (III)-imprinted polymer for preconcentrative separation of samarium ions from other lanthanide ions via solid phase extraction.

A batch process was developed to separate samarium ions from some lanthanide ions by a novel solid phase which was prepared via the ion-imprinting technique. The samarium (III) ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) particles were synthesized by preparing the ternary complex of samarium ions with 5,7-dichloroquinoline-8-ol (DCQ) and 4-vinylpyridine (VP). Then, thermally copolymerization with styrene (functional monomer, STY) and divinylbenzene (cross-linking monomer, DVB) followed in the presence of 2-methoxy ethanol (porogen) and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (initiator, AIBN). The imprinted ion was removed by stirring the above particles with 50% (v/v) HCl to obtain the leached IIP particles. Moreover, control polymer (CP) particles were similarly prepared without the samarium ions. The unleached and leached IIP particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infra-red spectroscopy (IR), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, preconcentration and selectivity studies for samarium and the other lanthanide ions were carried out. The preconcentration of the samarium (III) traces was studied during rebinding with the leached IIP particles as a function of pH, the weight of the polymer material, the preconcentration and the elution times, the eluent volume and the aqueous phase volume. These studies indicated that the samarium (III) amount as low as 1 microg, present in 200 mL, could be preconcentrated into 25 mL of 1.0 M HCl.