Efficient removal of Cs(I) from aqueous solution using graphene oxide

In this study, graphene oxide was synthesized, characterized and applied for cesium removal from aqueous solution. The effect of various parameters, including adsorbent dosage (0.05-0.2 g L-1), pH (3-9) and ionic strength (NaNO3 0.001-0.1 mo L-1) on adsorption capacity, as well as its adsorption kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamics and mechanism were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the adsorption of cesium (I) by the graphene oxide was an exothermic, pH- and ionic strength-dependent process. The pseudo second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir model fitted this process well, and the adsorption capacity was calculated to be 95.46 mg g(-1). According to the analytical results of XRD, FTIR, and XPS, the adsorption mechanism for cesium ions should be attributed to the oxygen-containing functional groups of the graphene oxide.