Adsorption of uranium on adsorbents produced from used tires

Abstract

The present investigation deals with the potential use of adsorbents produced from used tires for the removal of uranium from aqueous solutions. Two different adsorbents were used including char and activated carbon produced from used tires. The surface area was larger on activated carbon. Adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of time, adsorbent concentration, pH and initial concentration of uranium. The adsorption kinetics was found to follow the Lagergren equation. The rate constants of intraparticle diffusion and mass transfer coefficients were calculated. It was shown that the equilibrium data could be fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The adsorption of uranium in the presence of diffferent cations were also studied and the results were correlated with the ionic potential of the cations. Results obtained in the study demonstrate that the activated carbon produced from used tires can be considered as an adsorbent that has a commercial potential for uranium removal.