Dispersing Bentonite by Electron Beam Irradiation and Its Adsorption Performance of Cr(VI) in the Aqueous Solution

In this work, a favorable modification method of bentonite (Ben) by electron beam irradiation (EB) without any chemical reagent was provided to study the adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) in the aqueous solution. The modified Ben by EB (M-Ben) was characterized with series of spectrographic methods. Results indicated that the M-Ben had better dispersibility, which could obviously improve the adsorption capacity of Cr(VI). It reached the strongest adsorption ability of 97.3% in 30 min (k = 0.038 min(-1)) at the optimal EB irradiation dose of 22 KGy. Moreover, low pH condition could promote the adsorption of Cr(VI), and the adsorption efficiency was closely related to the concentration of Cr(VI). The mechanism of the higher adsorption of M-Ben was associated with the molecular repulsion of EB irradiation on the surface of Ben, which was also related to the thermal, electrical, and transient impact effects of EB irradiation. This study will broaden the application of EB for the modification of adsorbent, which can be applied in the treatment of environmental pollutants.

Automated summary

In this study, a modification method of bentonite by electron beam irradiation was proposed to enhance the adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) in aqueous solution. The modified bentonite showed improved dispersibility and achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 97.3% at an optimal irradiation dose of 22 KGy. Low pH conditions and the concentration of Cr(VI) were found to affect the adsorption efficiency.