Adsorption and desorption behaviors of cesium on rayon fibers coated with chitosan immobilized with Prussian blue

Abstract

Rayon fiber coated with chitosan (CTS) that contained immobilized Prussian blue (KFe) (KFe/CTS/rayon) were investigated for the removal of cesium ion (Cs⁺) from contaminated water. The morphology and mechanical strength of the fibers were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a universal testing machine, respectively. The Cs⁺ concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. SEM images revealed that the surface of the KFe/CTS/rayon fiber showed the most roughness. It was found that Cs⁺ was absorbed from the water by the KFe on the fibers in a molar ratio of 1:1 (Cs⁺:KFe). After treating the KFe/CTS/rayon fiber with 1% HNO₃ for 3h, 48.8% Cs⁺ desorption was observed. Woven fibers were interlaced with either 2 or 4 lines of the KFe/CTS/rayon fiber from 16 bobbins. The tensile strengths of those fibers were 19.06 and 14.25MPa, respectively. When silver cotton was used as the core axis of the woven fiber, the tensile strength of the fibers interlaced with 2 and 4 lines increased to 27.18 and 25.17MPa, respectively. Moreover, the results of hot tests using radioactive Cs⁺ showed that the woven KFe/CTS/rayon fibers could absorb up to 1000Bqg^-1 from an initial concentration of 8000Bqkg^-1.

Keywords: Cesium; Chitosan-rayon fiber; Prussian blue.