Design of hydroxyapatite aerogel with excellent adsorption performance to uranium

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) was a highly efficient uranium adsorbent and its adsorption performances were depended on morphology and structure. In order to obtain HAP with better morphology and structure, HAP aerogels were prepared via freeze-drying-calcination method with konjac gum, xanthan gum and chitosan as template in this work. In contrast, HAP aerogel prepared with konjac gum as template (K-HAP) possessed better pore structure and particle distribution, providing more adsorptive sites for the removal of uranium from wastewater. The adsorption efficiency and capacity of uranium on K-HAP were 99.2% and 2070.3 mg g(-1), respectively, which were much higher than many absorbents reported (pH = 4, m/V = 0.1 g L-1 and T = 298 K). The immobilization of uranium on HAP aerogel could be explained by the formation of Ca(UO2)(2)(PO4)(2)center dot 3H(2)O. Due to the remarkable adsorption performance, K-HAP was supposed to be applied in the practical treatment of uranium-containing wastewater in the future.

Automated summary

HAP aerogel synthesized with konjac gum as template exhibited superior adsorption efficiency and capacity for uranium, attributed to its optimized pore structure and particle distribution. The immobilization of uranium on HAP aerogel was achieved through the formation of Ca(UO2)(2)(PO4)(2)center dot 3H(2)O, indicating a promising application in the treatment of uranium-containing wastewater.