Adsorption of yttrium(III), neodymium(III), gadolinium(III), samarium(III), and lutetium(III) ions using 8-hydroxyquinoline intercalated bentonite.

Due to the high cation exchange capacity, depressed permeability, low cost, and massive specific surface area, bentonite has crucial importance in the disposal of radioactive waste from their aqueous solutions. Here, the intercalation of 8-hydroxyquinoline onto the surface of Na-bentonite was carried out and the obtained material was used to explore the sorption conduct of lanthanides metal ions from their solutions. X-ray fluorescence, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy spectra were done to characterize unmodified and modified bentonite. The changes in the environmental parameters such as contact time, solution pH, sorbent mass, initial concentration, and temperature were optimized. Sorption isotherm was simulated by Langmuir and Freundlich equations and the outcomes revealed that the Langmuir model was appropriate for the sorption of lanthanides onto 8-hydroxyquinoline bentonite (HQ-bentonite) and the maximum sorption capacities values were found to be 26.1, 47.6, 32.6, 39.2, and 40.9 mg/g for Y³⁺, Nd³⁺, Gd³⁺, Sm³⁺, and Lu³⁺, respectively, at 303 K. On the other hand, the regeneration studies were investigated with various reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]