High-Capacity Amidoxime-Functionalized β-Cyclodextrin/Graphene Aerogel for Selective Uranium Capture

A MOFs/MIPs@GAs Ternary Composite Catalytic System with Graphene Oxide Aerogels as the Multifunctional Skeleton for High-Efficiency Detoxification of Organophosphate Nerve Agents in Pure Water

Organophosphate nerve agents (OPs) are widely used as pesticides and chemical agents and pose a threat to human health and life. At present, most personal protective equipment usually only serves as physical protection and does not have an effect of chemical detoxification. In this work, ultra lightweight graphene oxide aerogels (GAs) have been used as a multifunctional skeleton to integrate the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) together for obtaining a high-performance hybrid material (MOFs/MIPs@GAs) on hydrolysis detoxification of OPs. As a porous three-dimensional material full of carboxyl groups, GAs can not only support excellent mass transfer performance but also provide a proper pH self-buffering catalytic reaction external environment for hydrolyzing OPs. The obtained MOFs/MIPs@GAs can catalyze dimethyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP) hydrolysis detoxification rapidly in pure water (kobs = 0.2227 min-1, t1/2 = 3.11 min). This ternary hybrid material with exceptional performance and practical applicability has vast application prospects for the development of protective equipment.

Advanced MXene-based materials for efficient extraction of uranium from seawater and wastewater

In order to realize the low-carbon development policy, the large-scale development and utilization of nuclear energy is very essential. Uranium is the key resource for nuclear industry. The extracting and recycling uranium from seawater and nuclear wastewater is necessary for secure uranium reserves, ensure energy security, control pollution and protect the environment. The novel nanomaterial MXene possesses the layered structure, high specific surface area, and modifiable surface terminal groups, which allowed it to enrich uranium. In addition, good photovoltaic and photothermal properties improves the ability to adsorb uranium. The excellent radiation resistance of the MAX phase strongly indicates the potential use of MXene as an effective uranium adsorbent. However, there are relatively few reviews on its application in uranium extraction and recovery. This review focuses on the recent advances in the use of MXene-based materials as highly efficient adsorbents for the recovery of uranium from seawater and nuclear wastewater. First, the structural, synthetic and characterization aspects of MXene materials are introduced. Subsequently, the adsorptive properties of MXene-based materials are evaluated in terms of uranium extraction recovery capability, selectivity, and reproducibility. Furthermore, the interaction mechanisms between uranium and MXene absorbers are discussed. Finally, the challenges for MXene materials in uranium adsorption applications are proposed for better design of new types of MXene-based adsorbents.

Phytic acid-functionalized polyamidoxime/alginate hydrogel for targeted uranium extraction from acidic wastewater

Efficient removal of uranium from radioactive wastewater is crucial for both environmental protection and sustainable development of nuclear energy. However, selectively extracting uranium from acidic wastewater remains a significant challenge. Here we present a phytic acid-functionalized polyamidoxime/alginate hydrogel (PAG) via a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction. The PAG, leveraging the robust binding affinity of phytic acid and the selective coordination of amidoxime for U(VI), exhibited high efficiency and selectivity in adsorbing U(VI) from acidic uranium-containing wastewater. At pH 2.50, U(VI) adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 60 min, showcasing a maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of 218.34 mg/g. Additionally, the PAG demonstrated excellent reusability, maintaining a uranium removal rate exceeding 90 % over five adsorption-desorption cycles. Remarkably, the as-synthesized PAG removed 94.1 % of U(VI) from actual acidic uranium-contaminated groundwater with excellent anti-interference performance, reducing U(VI) concentration from 272.0 μg/L to 16.1 μg/L and making it meet the WHO drinking water standards (30 μg/L). The adsorption mechanism was elucidated through XPS and DFT calculation, revealing that the uranyl ion primarily coordinated with phosphate and amidoxime groups on phytic acid and polyamidoxime, respectively. These findings underscore the promising potential of PAG hydrogel for addressing acidic uranium-containing wastewater from uranium mining and metallurgy.

Constructing 2D Polyphenols-Based Crosslinked Networks for Ultrafast and Selective Uranium Extraction from Seawater

The role of tannins (TA), a well-known abundant and ecologically friendly chelating ligand, in metal capture has long been studied. Different kinds of TA-containing adsorbents are synthesized for uranium capture, while most adsorbents suffer from unfavorable adsorption kinetics. Herein, the design and preparation of a TA-containing 2D crosslinked network adsorbent (TANP) is reported. The ≈1.8-nanometer-thick TANP films curl up into micrometer-scale pores, which contribute to fast mass transfer and full exposure of active sites. The coordination environment of uranyl (UO2 2+) ions is explored by integrated analysis of U L3-edge XANES and EXAFS. Density functional theory calculations indicate the energetically favorable UO2 2+ binding. Consequently, TANP with excellent adsorption kinetics presents a high uranium capture capacity (14.62 mg-U g-Ads-1) and a high adsorption rate (0.97 mg g-1 day-1) together with excellent selectivity and biofouling resistance. Life cycle assessment and cost analysis demonstrate that TANP has tremendous potential for application in industrial-scale uranium extraction from seawater.

Construction of hierarchical porous and polydopamine/salicylaldoxime functionalized zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 via controlled etching for uranium adsorption

Efficient uranium extraction from seawater is critical for the development of the nuclear industry. Herein, a polydopamine/salicylaldoxime decorated hierarchical zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8) is constructed by using a controlled etching process. Benefiting from the combination of PDA/SA and the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), as well as a controlled etching process, the H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8 possesses multiaffinity sites, excellent specific surface area (1234.92 m2 g-1), and a hierarchical pore structure. The H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8 exhibits excellent adsorption capacity (Qm = 869.6 mg g-1), selectivity, and reusability in uranium adsorption. The adsorption process of H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8 fits very well with the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order models, and the adsorption process equilibrates within 20 min (C0 = 20 mg L-1). Furthermore, the H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8 shows remarkable antibacterial ability. Impressively, the adsorption capacity of H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8 to uranium in natural seawater reaches 6.9 mg g-1 after circulation for 15 days. Therefore, the H-PDA/SA-ZIF-8 is a promising and fascinating material for uranium extraction from natural seawater.

Photocatalytic Reduction of Perrhenate and Pertechnetate in a Strongly Acidic Aqueous Solution

Pertechnetate (99TcO4-), a physiologically toxic radioactive anion, is of great concern due to its high mobility in environmental contamination remediation. Although the soluble oxyanion can be photoreduced to sparingly soluble TcO2·nH2O, its effective removal from a strongly acidic aqueous solution remains a challenge. Here, we found that low-crystalline nitrogen-doped titanium oxide (N-TiO2, 0.6 g L-1) could effectively uptake perrhenate (ReO4-, 10 mg L-1, a nonradioactive surrogate for TcO4-) with 50.8% during 360 min under simulated sunlight irradiation at pH 1.0, but P25 and anatase could not. The nitrogen active center formed by trace nitrogen doping in N-TiO2 can promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. The positive valence band value of N-TiO2 is slightly higher than those of P25 and anatase, which means that the photogenerated holes have a stronger oxidizability. These holes are involved in the formation of strong reducing •CO2- radicals from formic acid oxidation. The active radicals convert ReO4- to Re(VI), which is subsequently disproportionated to Re(IV) and Re(VII). Effective photocatalytic reduction/removal of Re(VII)/Tc(VII) is performed on the material, which may be considered a potential and convenient strategy for technetium decontamination and extraction in a strongly acidic aqueous solution.

Multi-step strategies for synergistic treatment of urinary tract infections based on D-xylose-decorated antimicrobial peptide carbon dots

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), often reoccur due to the formation of intracellular bacterial colonies (IBCs) and antibiotic resistance. Given the significance of YadC for UPEC infection in our previous study, we developed D-xylose-decorated ɛ-poly-L-lysine (εPL)-based carbon dots (D-xyl@εPLCDs) that can be traced, and employed multi-step approaches to elucidate the functional roles of D-xyl@εPLCDs in UPEC infection. Compared to undecorated particles, D-xyl@εPLCDs demonstrate YadC-dependent bacterial targeting and exhibit enhanced bactericidal activities both intracellularly and extracellularly. Moreover, pre-treatment of D-xyl@εPLCDs before infection blocked the subsequent adhesion and invasion of UPEC to bladder epithelial cells 5637. Increase of ROS production and innate immune responses were observed in bladder epithelial cells 5637 treated with D-xyl@εPLCDs. In addition, treatment of D-xyl@εPLCDs post-infection facilitated clearance of UPEC in the bladders of the UTI mouse model, and reduced ultimate number of neutrophils, macrophages and inflammatory responses raised by invaded bacteria. Collectively, we presented a comprehensive evaluating system to show that D-xyl@εPLCDs exhibits superior bactericidal effects against UPEC, making them a promising candidate for drug development in clinical UTI therapeutics.

Emerging Nanomaterials toward Uranium Extraction from Seawater: Recent Advances and Perspectives

Nuclear energy holds great potential to facilitate the global energy transition and alleviate the increasing environmental issues due to its high energy density, stable energy output, and carbon-free emission merits. Despite being limited by the insufficient terrestrial uranium reserves, uranium extraction from seawater (UES) can offset the gap. However, the low uranium concentration, the complicated uranium speciation, the competitive metal ions, and the inevitable marine interference remarkably affect the kinetics, capacity, selectivity, and sustainability of UES materials. To date, massive efforts have been made with varying degrees of success to pursue a desirable UES performance on various nanomaterials. Nevertheless, comprehensive and systematic coverage and discussion on the emerging UES materials presenting the fast-growing progress of this field is still lacking. This review thus challenges this position and emphatically focuses on this topic covering the current mainstream UES technologies with the emerging UES materials. Specifically, this review elucidates the causality between the physiochemical properties of UES materials induced by the intellectual design strategies and the UES performances and further dissects the relationships of materials-properties-activities and the corresponding mechanisms in depth. This review is envisaged to inspire innovative ideas and bring technical solutions for developing technically and economically viable UES materials.

The efficient uptake of uranium by amine-functionalized β-cyclodextrin supported fly ash composite from polluted water

A novel polyethyleneimine/polydopamine-functionalized β-cyclodextrin supported fly ash adsorbent (PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA) had been synthesized to uptake uranium from polluted water. At pH = 5.0 and T = 298 K, the uranium uptake efficiency and capacity of PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA reached to 98.7 % and 622.8 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than those of FA (71.4 % and 206.7 mg/g).The excellent uranium uptake properties of PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA could be explained by three points: (1) using β-CD as a supporting material could effectively avoid the aggregation of FA and improve the hydrophily of FA; (2) the unique cavity structure of β-CD could form chelates with uranyl ions; (3) the formation of PEI/PDA co-deposition coating on FA further enhanced the affinity of FA to UO22+. With the presence of interfering ions, the uptake efficiency of PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA for uranium was still up to 94.5 % after five cycles, indicating the high selectively and recoverability of PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA. In terms of the results of characterizations, uranium was captured by PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA via electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bond, coordination and complexation. To sum up, PEI/PDA/β-CD/FA was expected to be used for actual sewage treatment owing to its excellent uranium uptake efficiency/capacity, selectivity, cycle stability and feasibility of actual application.

Phosphorus Nitride Imide Nanotubes for Uranium Capture from Seawater

Nuclear power plays a pivotal role in the global energy supply. The adsorption-based extraction of uranium from seawater is crucial for the rapid advancement of nuclear power. The phosphorus nitride imide (PN) nanotubes were synthesized in this study using a solvothermal method, resulting in chemically stable cross-linked tubular hollow structures that draw inspiration from the intricate snowflake fractal pattern. Detailed characterization showed that these nanotubes possess a uniformly distributed five-coordinated nanopocket, which exhibited great selectivity and efficiency in binding uranium. PN nanotubes captured 97.34% uranium from the low U-spiked natural seawater (∼355 μg L-1) and showed a high adsorption capacity (435.58 mg g-1), along with a distribution coefficient, KdU > 8.71 × 107 mL g-1. In addition, PN nanotubes showed a high adsorption capacity of 7.01 mg g-1 in natural seawater. The facile and scalable production of PN nanotubes presented in this study holds implications for advancing their large-scale implementation in the selective extraction of uranium from seawater.

Yeast-Raised Polyamidoxime Hydrogel Prepared by Ice Crystal Dispersion for Efficient Uranium Extraction from Seawater

Uranium extraction from seawater has attracted worldwide attention due to the massive reserves of uranium. Due to the straightforward synthesis and strong affinity toward uranyl ions (UO2 2+), the amidoxime group shows promise for use in highly efficient uranium capture.  However, the low mass transfer efficiency within traditional amidoxime-based adsorbents severely limits the adsorption rate and the utilization of adsorption sites. In this work, a macroporous polyamidoxime (PAO) hydrogel is prepared by yeast-based biological foaming combined with ice crystal dispersion that effectively maintained the yeast activity. The yeast-raised PAO (Y-PAO) adsorbent has numerous bubble-like holes with an average pore diameter >100 µm. These macropores connected with the intrinsic micropores of PAO to construct efficient diffusion channels for UO2 2+ provided fast mass transporting channels, leading to the sufficient exposure of hidden binding sites. The maximum adsorption capacity of Y-PAO membrane reached 10.07 mg-U/g-ads, ≈1.54 times higher than that of the control sample. It took only eight days for Y-PAO to reach the saturation adsorption capacity of the control PAO (6.47 mg-U/g-ads, 28 days). Meanwhile, Y-PAO possessed excellent ion selectivity, good reusability, and low cost. Overall, the Y-PAO membrane is a highly promising adsorbent for use in industrial-scale uranium extraction from seawater.

Carboxymethyl cellulose and metal-organic frameworks immobilized into polyacrylamide hydrogel for ultrahigh efficient and selective adsorption U(VI) from seawater

Metal-organic frameworks (MOF)-polymer hybrid hydrogel solves the processable forming of MOF powder and energy consumption of uranium extraction. However, the hybrid hydrogel by conventional synthesis methods inevitably lead to MOF agglomeration, poor filler-polymer interfacial compatibility and slowly adsorption. Herein, we designed that ZIF-67 was implanted into the carboxymethyl cellulose/polyacrylamide (CMC/PAM) by network-repairing strategy. The carboxyl and amino groups on the surface of CMC/PAM drive the uniform growth of ZIF-67 inside the CMC/PAM, which form an array of oriented and penetrating microchannels through coordination bonds. Our strategy eliminate the ZIF-67 agglomeration, increase the interfacial compatibility between MOF and polymer. The method also improve the free and fast diffusion of uranium in CMC/PAM/ZIF-67 hydrogel. According to the experimental, these enhancements synergistically enabled the CMC/PAM/ZIF-67 have a maximum adsorption capacity of 952 mg g-1. The adsorption process of CMC/PAM/ZIF-67 fits well with pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm. Meanwhile, the CMC/PAM/ZIF-67 maintain a high removal rate (87.3 %) and chemical stability even during ten adsorption-desorption cycles. It is worth noting that the adsorption amount of CMC/PAM/ZIF-67 in real seawater is 9.95 mg g-1 after 20 days, which is an ideal candidate adsorbent for uranium extraction from seawater.

Construction of oxime-functionalized PCN-222 based on the directed molecular structure design for recovering uranium from wastewater

The directed construction of productive adsorbents is essential to avoid damaging human health from the harmful radioactive and toxic U(VI)-containing wastewater. Herein, a sort of Zr-based metal organic framework (MOF) called PCN-222 was synthesized and oxime functionalized based on directed molecular structure design to synthesize an efficient adsorbent with antimicrobial activity, named PCN-222-OM, for recovering U(VI) from wastewater. PCN-222-OM unfolded splendid adsorption capacity (403.4 mg·g-1) at pH = 6.0 because of abundant holey structure and mighty chelation for oxime groups with U(VI) ions. PCN-222-OM also exhibited outstanding selectivity and reusability during the adsorption. The XPS spectra authenticated the -NH and oxime groups which revealed a momentous function. Concurrently, PCN-222-OM also possessed good antimicrobial activity, antibiofouling activity, and environmental safety; adequately decreased detrimental repercussions about bacteria and Halamphora on adsorption capacity; and met non-toxic and non-hazardous requirements for the application. The splendid antimicrobial activity and antibiofouling activity perhaps arose from the Zr6(μ3-O)4(μ3-OH)4(H2O)4(OH)4 clusters and rich functional groups within PCN-222-OM. Originally proposed PCN-222-OM was one potentially propitious material to recover U(VI) in wastewater on account of outstanding adsorption capacity, antimicrobial activity, antibiofouling activity, and environmental safety, meanwhile providing a newfangled conception on the construction of peculiar efficient adsorbent.

Optically Electroactive Polymer Synthesized in a Liquid Crystal with Cyclosporin A─Circularly Polarized Electron Spin Resonance

Cyclosporine A (CsA), a naturally derived biomaterial and physiologically active substance, is commonly used as an immunosuppressant. In this study, CsA was revealed to function as a chiral inducer of cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) with a high helical twisting power. CsA induced helical structures in 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl, a synthetic liquid crystal (LC) used for general purposes. Electrochemical polymerization in CLC with CsA was also performed. The polymer prepared in CLC showed electro-optical activity via chiral induction by CsA. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that the polymer film prepared in the CLC formed in the manner of LC molecular arrangement through molecular form imprinting from the LC order, although the polymer exhibited no liquid crystallinity. The polymer showed structural color and laser light oscillation diffraction derived from its periodic structure. The anisotropy of the circularly polarized electron spin resonance signals for the resulting polymer with respect to the magnetic field was observed.

Mechanism for the seleikctive adsorption of uranium from seawater using carboxymethyl-enhanced polysaccharide-based amidoxime adsorbent

Land-based uranium resources are becoming scarce because of the widespread development and use of nuclear energy. Therefore, to make up for the shortage of uranium resources, a new chitosan/carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin/quaternary ammonium salt-functionalized amidoxime carbon adsorbent (CSAOCF) was designed and synthesized for extracting uranium from seawater. Experimental studies show that the adsorption of uranium by CSAOCF is a spontaneous endothermic reaction and chemical adsorption. The theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of uranium can reach 726 mg/g at 308 K and pH = 6. Moreover, the adsorption efficiency and selectivity of CSAOCF for uranium were significantly improved after the introduction of the carboxymethyl group, and the selection and partition coefficient of CSAOCF for uranium and vanadium increased from 16-fold to 30-fold under the same conditions. This indicates that there is a synergistic effect between carboxyl and amidoxime groups, which can promote the adsorption of uranium by CSAOCF. Furthermore, CSAOCF exhibits good oil resistance and can be reused more than five times. Therefore, CSAOCF containing carboxymethyl and amidoxime functional groups can considerably improve the selective adsorption of uranium and has great potential in the extraction of uranium from seawater.

Modified alginate materials for wastewater treatment: Application prospects

Sodium alginate is a natural macromolecule widely used because of its abundance, low cost of acquisition, and rich hydroxyl and carboxyl groups in the matrix. The physical modification of sodium alginate can be made by blending it with polymer materials. The so-yielded alginate complex is commonly unstable in an aqueous environment due to alginate backbones' high hydrophilicity. The chemical modification can remove its hydrophilic groups and introduce special functional groups or polymers onto the alginate backbones to provide excess reaction sites for specific reactions and effective complexation sites for accommodating antibiotics, dyes, heavy metal ions, and radioactive elements. Sodium alginate has been used in water treatment engineering under revised modification protocols. This article also reviews the latest modification protocols for sodium alginate and outlines the novel application of the modified materials. The limitations of modified sodium alginate materials are described, and research prospects are put forward.

Dual-Ligand ZIF-8 Bearing the Cyano Group for Efficient and Selective Uranium Capture from Seawater

Uranium extraction from seawater is a potential technique that will change the world. Adsorption capacity, selectivity, and antibacterial ability for high-performance uranium adsorbents remain the major challenges. In this study, a dual-ligand zeolitic imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF-8) decorated with cyano groups (ZIF-8-CN) is prepared via a facile blend strategy at room temperature. Owing to the abundant mesopores and nitrogen functional groups, ZIF-8-CN shows an extremely high uranium uptake of 1000 mg/g at pH = 6, which is 2.42 times that of pristine ZIF-8. Noteworthily, ZIF-8-CN possesses a 16.2 mg/g uranium adsorption in natural seawater within 28 days, and the distribution coefficient (Kd = 3.25 × 106 mL/g) is far greater than that for other coexisting metal ions, demonstrating a marked preference for uranyl ions. Except for the coordination between uranium and nitrogen in imidazole, the cyano groups provide additional adsorption sites and preferentially bind to uranyl, thereby strengthening the affinity for uranyl. Notably, ZIF-8-CN displays ultrastrong antimicrobial ability against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which is greatly desired for the scale-up marine tests. Our study demonstrates the high potential of ZIF-8-CN in uranium capture and provides a wide scope for the application of mixed-ligand MOFs.

Recent developments and challenges in uranium extraction from seawater through amidoxime-functionalized adsorbents

As per statistical estimations, we have only around 100 years of uranium life in terrestrial ores. In contrast, seawater has viable uranium resources that can secure the future of energy. However, to achieve this, environmental challenges need to be overcome, such as low uranium concentration (3.3 ppb), fouling of adsorbents, uranium speciation, oceanic temperature, and competition between elements for the active site of adsorbent (such as vanadium which has a significant influence on uranium adsorption). Furthermore, the deployability of adsorbent under seawater conditions is a gigantic challenge; hence, leaching-resistant stable adsorbents with good reusability and high elution rates are extremely needed. Powdered (nanostructured) adsorbents available today have limitations in fulfilling these requirements. An increase in the grafting density of functional ligands keeping in view economic sustainability is also a major obstacle but a necessity for high uranium uptake. To cope with these challenges, researchers reported hundreds of adsorbents of different kinds, but amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents have shown some remarkable advantages and are considered the benchmark in uranium extraction history; they have a high affinity for uranium because of electron donors in their structure, and their amphoteric nature is responsible for effective uranium chelation under a wide range of pH. In this review, we have mainly focused on recent developments in uranium extraction from seawater through amidoxime-based adsorbents, their comparative analysis, and problematic factors that are needed to be considered for future research.

Actinide Ion (Americium-241 and Uranium-232) Interaction with Hybrid Silica-Hyperbranched Poly(ethylene imine) Nanoparticles and Xerogels

The binding of actinide ions (Am(III) and U(VI)) in aqueous solutions by hybrid silica-hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) nanoparticles (NPs) and xerogels (XGs) has been studied by means of batch experiments at different pH values (4, 7, and 9) under ambient atmospheric conditions. Both materials present relatively high removal efficiency at pH 4 and pH 7 (>70%) for Am(III) and U(VI). The lower removal efficiency for the nanoparticles is basically associated with the compact structure of the nanoparticles and the lower permeability and access to active amine groups compared to xerogels, and the negative charge of the radionuclide species is formed under alkaline conditions (e.g., UO2(CO3)34- and Am(CO3)2-). Generally, the adsorption process is relatively slow due to the very low radionuclide concentrations used in the study and is basically governed by the actinide diffusion from the aqueous phase to the solid surface. On the other hand, adsorption is favored with increasing temperature, assuming that the reaction is endothermic and entropy-driven, which is associated with increasing randomness at the solid-liquid interphase upon actinide adsorption. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on hybrid silica-hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) nanoparticle and xerogel materials used as adsorbents for americium and uranium at ultra-trace levels. Compared to other adsorbent materials used for binding americium and uranium ions, both materials show far higher binding efficiency. Xerogels could remove both actinides even from seawater by almost 90%, whereas nanoparticles could remove uranium by 80% and americium by 70%. The above, along with their simple derivatization to increase the selectivity towards a specific radionuclide and their easy processing to be included in separation technologies, could make these materials attractive candidates for the treatment of radionuclide/actinide-contaminated water.

Functionally-designed floatable amino-modified ZnLa layered double hydroxides/cellulose acetate beads for tetracycline removal: Performance and mechanism

The over-reliance on tetracycline antibiotics (TC) in the animal husbandry and medical field has seriously affected the safety of the ecological environment. Therefore, how to effectively treat tetracycline wastewater has always been a long-term global challenge. Here, we developed a novel polyethyleneimine (PEI)/Zn-La layered double hydroxides (LDH)/cellulose acetate (CA) beads with cellular interconnected channels to strengthen the TC removal. The results of the exploration on its adsorption properties illustrated that the adsorption process exhibited a favorable correlation with the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, namely monolayer chemisorption. Among the many candidates, the maximum adsorption capacity of TC by 10 %PEI-0.8LDH/CA beads was 316.76 mg/g. Apart from that, the effects of pH, interfering species, actual water matrix and recycling on the adsorption of TC by PEI-LDH/CA beads were also analyzed to verify their superior removal capability. The potential for industrial-scale applications was expanded through fixed-bed column experiments. The proven adsorption mechanisms mainly included electrostatic interaction, complexation, hydrogen bonding, n-π EDA effect and cation-π interaction. The self-floating high-performance PEI-LDH/CA beads exploited in this work provided fundamental support for the practical application of antibiotic-based wastewater treatment.

An ultralight and flexible nanofibrillated cellulose/chitosan aerogel for efficient chromium removal: Adsorption-reduction process and mechanism

Heavy metals in water are critical global environmental problems. In particular, the anionic heavy metal chromium (Cr) has carcinogenic and genotoxic risks on human health. To this end, an ultralight and flexible nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)/chitosan (CS) aerogel was developed only by freeze-drying combined with physical thermal cross-linking for efficient one step co-removal of Cr(VI) and Cr(III). The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) and total Cr calculated according to the Langmuir model was 197.33 and 134.12 mg/g, respectively. Even in the presence of competing soluble organics, anions and oil contaminants, the resulting NFC/CS-5 aerogels showed excellent selectivity. The aerogel exhibited outstanding mechanical integrity, remaining intact after 17 compressions in air and underwater. Meanwhile, after 5 adsorption-desorption cycles, the aerogel was easy to regenerate and maintained a high regeneration efficiency of 80.25%. Importantly, self-assembled NFC/CS-5 aerogel filter connected with the peristaltic pump could purify 752 mL of industrial wastewater with Cr(VI) pre-concentration capacity of 49.71 mg/g. XPS and FT-IR verified that electrostatic interactions, reduction and complexation acted as the main driving forces for the adsorption process. Moreover, such aerogel possessed broad application prospects for alleviating heavy metal pollution in agriculture.

Functionalization of melamine sponge for the efficient recovery of Pt(IV) from acid leachates

The recovery of platinum from industrial waste is of critical importance. Usually, the recovery method is to dissolve the solid waste with acid to form a solution where platinum mainly exists in the form of Pt(IV). Therefore, it is urgent to efficiently and selectively adsorb Pt(IV) ions from acid leachates. In this study, a highly efficient adsorbent was developed by grafting of carboxyl and amine groups onto melamine sponge with alginate-Ca and polyethylenimine-glutaraldehyde (ML/ACPG). Combination of SEM, FTIR and XPS showed that the ML/ACPG sponge had a tree structure and the amino, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups were successfully introduced. Maximum adsorption capacity of ML/ACPG sponge reached up to 101.1 mg/L at pH of 1 (optimum initial pH value). The Pt(IV) ions were readily desorbed (within 60-80 min) using 0.1 M HCl + 0.025 M thiourea solution. Desorption efficiency remained higher than 83.3% while adsorption capacity decreased by less than 6.0% after 5 cycles operation. The ML/ACPG sponge was stable in 3 M of HNO3, NaCl after shaking for 72 h at 300 rpm with mass loss less than 2.5%. The mechanism of Pt(IV) adsorption onto ML/ACPG sponge mainly involved coordination by electrostatic attraction and carboxyl groups by protonated amine groups. The above results confirmed that the ML/ACPG sponge has a good practical application potential for Pt(IV) recovery from acid leachates.

Comparative Study of the U(VI) Adsorption by Hybrid Silica-Hyperbranched Poly(ethylene imine) Nanoparticles and Xerogels

Two different silica conformations (xerogels and nanoparticles), both formed by the mediation of dendritic poly (ethylene imine), were tested at low pHs for problematic uranyl cation sorption. The effect of crucial factors, i.e., temperature, electrostatic forces, adsorbent composition, accessibility of the pollutant to the dendritic cavities, and MW of the organic matrix, was investigated to determine the optimum formulation for water purification under these conditions. This was attained with the aid of UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential, liquid nitrogen (LN₂) porosimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results highlighted that both adsorbents have extraordinary sorption capacities. Xerogels are cost-effective since they approximate the performance of nanoparticles with much less organic content. Both adsorbents could be used in the form of dispersions. The xerogels, though, are more practicable materials since they may penetrate the pores of a metal or ceramic solid substrate in the form of a precursor gel-forming solution, producing composite purification devices.

Efficient adsorption of low-concentration uranium from aqueous solutions

The development of nuclear energy has led to the depletion of uranium resources and now presents the challenge of treating radioactive wastewater. Extracting uranium from seawater and nuclear wastewater has been identified as an effective strategy for addressing these issues. However, extracting uranium from nuclear wastewater and seawater is still extremely challenging. In this study, an amidoxime-modified feather keratin aerogel (FK-AO aerogel) was prepared using feather keratin for efficient uranium adsorption. The FK-AO aerogel showed an impressive adsorption capacity of 585.88 mg·g^-1 in an 8 ppm uranium solution, with a calculated maximum adsorption capacity of 990.10 mg·g^-1. Notably, the FK-AO aerogel demonstrated excellent selectivity for U(VI) in simulated seawater that contained coexisting heavy metal ions. In a uranium solution having a salinity of 35 g·L^-1 and a concentration of 0.1-2 ppm, the FK-AO aerogel achieved a uranium removal rate of greater than 90 %, indicating its effectiveness in adsorbing uranium in environments having high salinity and low concentration. This suggests that FK-AO aerogel is an ideal adsorbent for extracting uranium from seawater and nuclear wastewater, and it is also expected that it could be used in industrial applications for extracting uranium from seawater.

A cascade electro-dehydration process for simultaneous extraction and enrichment of uranium from simulated seawater

Uranium extraction from seawater has become a crucial issue that has raised tremendous attention. The transport of water molecules along with salt ions through an ion-exchange membrane is a common phenomenon for typical electro-membrane processes such as selective electrodialysis (SED). In this study, a cascade electro-dehydration process was proposed for the simultaneous extraction and enrichment of uranium from simulated seawater by taking advantage of water transport through ion-exchange membranes and the high permselectivity of membranes for monovalent ions against uranate ions. The results indicated that the electro-dehydration effect in SED allowed 1.8 times the concentration of uranium with a loose structure CJMC-5 cation-exchange membrane at a current density of 4 mA/cm². Thereafter, a cascade electro-dehydration by a combination of SED with conventional electrodialysis (CED) enabled approximately 7.5 times uranium concentration with the extraction yield rate reaching over 80% and simultaneously desalting the majority of salts. Overall, a cascade electro-dehydration is a viable approach, creating a novel route for highly effective uranium extraction and enrichment from seawater.

Janus Membrane with Hydrogel-like Coating for Robust Fouling and Wetting Resistance in Membrane Distillation

Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technique for water reclamation from hypersaline wastewater. However, fouling and wetting of the hydrophobic membranes are two prominent challenges for the widespread application of MD. Herein, we developed an antiwetting and antifouling Janus membrane comprising a hydrogel-like polyvinyl alcohol/tannic acid (PVA/TA) top layer and a hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane substrate via a facile and benign strategy combining mussel-amine co-deposition with the shrinkage-rehydration process. Interestingly, the vapor flux of the Janus membrane was not compromised, though a microscale PVA/TA layer was introduced, possibly due to the high water uptake and reduced water evaporation enthalpy of the hydrogel-like structure. Moreover, the PVA/TA-PTFE Janus membrane sustained stable MD performance while treating a challenging saline feed containing surfactants and mineral oils. The robust wetting resistance arises from the synergistic effects of the elevated liquid entry pressure (1.01 ± 0.02 MPa) of the membrane and the retardation of surfactant transport to the substrate PTFE layer. Meanwhile, the hydrogel-like PVA/TA layer hinders oil fouling due to its strongly hydrated state. Furthermore, the PVA/TA-PTFE membrane exhibited improved performance in purifying shale gas wastewater and landfill leachate. This study provides new insights into the facile design and fabrication of promising MD membranes for hypersaline wastewater treatment.

The suitability and mechanism of polyaluminum-titanium chloride composite coagulant (PATC) for polystyrene microplastic removal: Structural characterization and theoretical calculation

Microplastics (MPs) particles bring potential threats to the aqueous environment, and the coexistence of natural organic matter (NOM) enhances their toxicity. Coagulation is an efficient method for particle removal and exploring the binding sites and modes of the coagulant hydrolysates with MPs in the presence of NOM is essential to understand the coagulation mechanism. In this study, a novel polymerized polyaluminum-titanium chloride composite coagulant (PATC) was prepared and used to remove polystyrene (PS). It was found that PATC could compress or even destroy the surface layer of the negatively charged PS. In comparison to PAC and PTC, PATC was more efficient in decreasing the energy barrier of the PS particles and increasing their aggregation rate over a wider pH range. The results of the Extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) calculation revealed that the interaction between the hydrolysates of PATC and PS was mainly polar interaction (V_AB), such as hydrogen bonding. The peak intensity and peak shift in Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) were analyzed to further explore the interaction between the hydrolysates of PATC and PS. It was found that hydrogen bonding existed between the -OH group of PATC and the aliphatic C-H and C=O groups of PS. And the main interaction between HA and PS was the π-π* conjugation and hydrogen bonding between the -COOH, -OH, and C=O groups of HA and the C=O and aliphatic C-H groups of PS. Therefore, in the HA@PS system, the active sites of HA (e.g. -COOH and -OH) and PS (e.g., C=O and aliphatic C-H) binding with the coagulants were occupied, which accordingly led to the dramatic decline in the removal efficiency of both HA and PS. In actual lake water treatment, although the removal efficiency of PS was significantly poor, PATC performed better for PS removal than PAC and PTC. Besides, the effluent pH was maintained at 6.81±0.08, which met the requirements of the subsequent water treatment process. This study provides systematic knowledge for understanding the interaction between PS, NOM, and coagulant hydrolysates, and further confirms the application potential of PATC for MPs removal.

Ligand-Assistant Iced Photocatalytic Reduction to Synthesize Atomically Dispersed Cu Implanted Metal-Organic Frameworks for Photo-Enhanced Uranium Extraction from Seawater

Uranium extraction from natural seawater is one of the most promising routes to address the shortage of uranium resources. By combination of ligand complexation and photocatalytic reduction, porous framework-based photocatalysts have been widely applied to uranium enrichment. However, their practical applicability is limited by poor photocatalytic activity and low adsorption capacity. Herein, atomically dispersed Cu implanted UiO-66-NH₂ (Cu SA@UiO-66-NH₂ ) photocatalysts are prepared via ligand-assistant iced photocatalytic reduction route. N-Cu-N moiety acts as an effective electron acceptor to potentially facilitate charge transfer kinetics. By contrast, there exist Cu sub-nanometer clusters by the typical liquid phase photoreduction, resulting in a relatively low photocatalytic activity. Cu SA@UiO-66-NH₂ adsorbents exhibit superior antibacterial ability and improved photoreduction conversion of the adsorbed U(VI) to insoluble U(IV), leading to a high uranium sorption capacity of 9.16 mg-U/g-Ads from natural seawater. This study provides new insight for enhancing uranium uptake by designing SA-mediated MOF photocatalysts.

Super-amphiphilic graphene promotes peroxymonosulfate-based emulsion catalysis for efficient oil purification

Oil fractions containing highly toxic and hazardous organic contaminants can not only cause severe environmental disasters, but also an undesired waste of resources. Given the exceptional performance of persulfates in the removal of persistent and refractory organic pollutants from aqueous media, herein, a peroxymonosulfate-based Pickering emulsion catalytic (PPEC) system was constructed for the hazardous oil purification, using super-amphiphilic graphene as a solid emulsifier and a heterogeneous catalyst simultaneously. Combined detailed instrumental analysis with theoretical calculations, we find that the incorporation of pyridinic N and its oxide significantly facilitated the formation of super-amphiphilic graphene and successfully induced the formation of Pickering emulsion. In addition to stabilizing the PPEC system, super-amphiphilic graphene can also achieve efficient removal of Sudan III (simulated lipophilic organic pollutant) by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to generate •O₂^- and ¹O₂. Results showed that 80 mg/L Sudan III (20 mL) could be fully degraded within 30 min using 10 mL 5 mmol PMS. More significantly, our proposed PPEC system also exhibited excellent property in the purification of practical waste engine oil. This study provides new insights into the purification and recovery of waste oil.

Preparation of phosphoric-modified aloe vera/chitosan aerogels and their efficient adsorption of U(VI)

The efficient adsorption of radioactive elements from nuclear wastewater is an important research topic in the environmental field. The unique three-dimensional porous structure of aerogels has great potential in the field of adsorption. Phosphoric-modified aloe vera/chitosan aerogel (CS/AL-AP) was prepared from chitosan, phosphoric acid, and aloe powder by vacuum freeze-drying self-assembly. The maximum adsorption of uranyl ions by CS/AL-AP was found to be 322.34 mg/g at pH 6, adsorption time of 120 min, solid-to-liquid ratio of 0.125 g/L, reaction temperature of 303 K, and initial uranyl ion concentration of 50 mg/L. The adsorption process is consistent with the Langmuir isotherm model and the quasi-secondary kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption process is monolayer adsorption. The type of adsorption is mainly chemisorption. FTIR and XPS analyses indicate that the adsorption of U(VI) by CS/AL-AP results from the combined action of coordination or chelation of amino, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups. In addition, CS/AL-AP shows excellent adsorption capacity in the presence of complex co-existing ions. After five adsorption-desorption experiments, the adsorption capacity of CS/AL-AP for uranyl ions remained at a high level. It indicates that CS/AL-AP has good stability and recoverability. The results indicate that CS/AL-AP has excellent potential in the field of uranium removal.

Modulating Uranium Extraction Performance of Multivariate Covalent Organic Frameworks through Donor-Acceptor Linkers and Amidoxime Nanotraps

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) can be designed to allow uranium extraction from seawater by incorporating photocatalytic linkers. However, often sacrificial reagents are required for separating photogenerated charges which limits their practical applications. Herein, we present a COF-based adsorption-photocatalysis strategy for selective removal of uranyl from seawater in the absence of sacrificial reagents. A series of ternary and quaternary COFs were synthesized containing the electron-rich linker 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol as the electron donor, the electron-deficient linker 4,4'-(thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole-2,5-diyl)dibenzaldehyde as the acceptor, and amidoxime nanotraps for selective uranyl capture (with the quaternary COFs incorporating [2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-diamine-Ru(Bp)₂]Cl₂ as a secondary photosensitizer). The ordered porous structure of the quaternary COFs ensured efficient mass transfer during the adsorption-photocatalysis capture of uranium from seawater samples, with photocatalytically generated electrons resulting in the reduction of adsorbed U(VI) to U(IV) in the form of UO₂. A quaternary COF, denoted as COF 2-Ru-AO, possessed a high uranium uptake capacity of 2.45 mg/g/day in natural seawater and good anti-biofouling abilities, surpassing most adsorbents thus far. This work shows that multivariate COF adsorption-photocatalysts can be rationally engineered to work efficiently and stably without sacrificial electron donors, thus opening the pathway for the economic and efficient extraction of uranium from the earth's oceans.

Uranium Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Aerogel-Based Adsorbents-A Critical Review

Aerogels are a class of lightweight, nanoporous, and nanostructured materials with diverse chemical compositions and a huge potential for applications in a broad spectrum of fields. This has led the IUPAC to include them in the top ten emerging technologies in chemistry for 2022. This review provides an overview of aerogel-based adsorbents that have been used for the removal and recovery of uranium from aqueous environments, as well as an insight into the physicochemical parameters affecting the adsorption efficiency and mechanism. Uranium removal is of particular interest regarding uranium analysis and recovery, to cover the present and future uranium needs for nuclear power energy production. Among the methods used, such as ion exchange, precipitation, and solvent extraction, adsorption-based technologies are very attractive due to their easy and low-cost implementation, as well as the wide spectrum of adsorbents available. Aerogel-based adsorbents present an extraordinary sorption capacity for hexavalent uranium that can be as high as 8.8 mol kg−1 (2088 g kg−1). The adsorption data generally follow the Langmuir isotherm model, and the kinetic data are in most cases better described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. An evaluation of the thermodynamic data reveals that the adsorption is generally an endothermic, entropy-driven process (ΔH0, ΔS0 > 0). Spectroscopic studies (e.g., FTIR and XPS) indicate that the adsorption is based on the formation of inner-sphere complexes between surface active moieties and the uranyl cation. Regeneration and uranium recovery by acidification and complexation using carbonate or chelating ligands (e.g., EDTA) have been found to be successful. The application of aerogel-based adsorbents to uranium removal from industrial processes and uranium-contaminated waste waters was also successful, assuming that these materials could be very attractive as adsorbents in water treatment and uranium recovery technologies. However, the selectivity of the studied materials towards hexavalent uranium is limited, suggesting further developments of aerogel materials that could be modified by surface derivatization with chelating agents (e.g., salophen and iminodiacetate) presenting high selectivity for uranyl moieties.

Uranium extraction from seawater: material design, emerging technologies and marine engineering

Uranium extraction from seawater (UES), a potential approach to securing the long-term uranium supply and sustainability of nuclear energy, has experienced significant progress in the past decade. Promising adsorbents with record-high capacities have been developed by diverse innovative synthetic strategies, and scale-up marine field tests have been put forward by several countries. However, significant challenges remain in terms of the adsorbents' properties in complex marine environments, deployment methods, and the economic viability of current UES systems. This review presents an up-to-date overview of the latest advancements in the UES field, highlighting new insights into the mechanistic basis of UES and the methodologies towards the function-oriented development of uranium adsorbents with high adsorption capacity, selectivity, biofouling resistance, and durability. A distinctive emphasis is placed on emerging electrochemical and photochemical strategies that have been employed to develop efficient UES systems. The most recent achievements in marine tests by the major countries are summarized. Challenges and perspectives related to the fundamental, technical, and engineering aspects of UES are discussed. This review is envisaged to inspire innovative ideas and bring technical solutions towards the development of technically and economically viable UES systems.

Hafnium(IV) Chemistry with Imide-Dioxime and Catecholate-Oxime Ligands: Unique {Hf5} and Metalloaromatic {Hf6}-Oxo Clusters Exhibiting Fluorescence

Hafnium(IV) molecular species have gained increasing attention due to their numerous applications ranging from high-resolution nanolithography, heterogeneous catalysis, and electronics to the design of molecule-based building blocks in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with applications in gas separation, sorption, luminescence sensing, and interim storage of radioactive waste. Despite great potential, their chemistry is relatively underdeveloped. Here, we use strong chelators (2Z-6Z)-piperidine-2,6-dione (H₃pidiox) and 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde oxime (H₃dihybo) to synthesize the first ever reported pentanuclear {Hf₅/H₃pidiox} and hexanuclear {Hf₆/H₃dihybo} clusters (HfOCs). The {Hf₆} clusters adopt unique core structures [Hf₆^IV(μ₃-O)₂(μ-O)₃] with a trigonal-prismatic arrangement of the six hafnium atoms and have been characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy in the solid state, NMR, fluorescence spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry in solution. One-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) ¹H NMR and mass spectroscopies reveal the exceptional thermodynamic stability of the HfOCs in solution. Interestingly, the conjunction of the oxime group with the catechol resulted in the remarkable reduction of the clusters' band gap, below 2.51 eV. Another prominent feature is the occurrence of pronounced metalloaromaticity of the triangular {Hf₃} metallic component revealed by its NICS_zz scan curve calculated by means of density functional theory (DFT). The NICS_zz(1) value of -44.6 ppm is considerably higher than the -29.7 ppm found at the same level of theory for the benzene ring. Finally, we investigated the luminescence properties of the clusters where 1 emits light in the violet region despite the lack of fluorescence of the free H₃pidiox ligand, whereas the {Hf₆} 3 shifts the violet-emitting light of the H₃dihybo to lower energy. DFT calculations show that this fluorescence behavior stems from ligand-centered molecular orbital transitions and that Hf^IV coordination has a modulating effect on the photophysics of these HfOCs. This work not only represents a significant milestone in the construction of stable low-band-gap multinuclear Hf^IV clusters with unique structural features and metal-centered aromaticity but also reveals the potential of Hf(IV) molecule-based materials with applications in sensing, catalysis, and electronic devices.

1-aza-18-crown-6 ether tailored graphene oxide for Cs(I) removal from wastewater

Due to the relative abundance, long half-life and high mobility of radioactive cesium (Cs), new adsorbents are urgently needed to treat Cs to ensure public health. In this study, a graphene oxide (GO) based adsorbent for Cs(I) adsorption was prepared by 1-aza-18-crown-6 ether modification. XRD, FT-IR, XPS and SEM results showed that the properties of 1-aza-18-crown 6 ether modified GO (18C6-GO) changed dramatically compared with that of raw graphite. The adsorption properties of 18C6-GO for Cs(I) were studied by batch static adsorption experiments. The results showed that the adsorption equilibrium time of 18C6-GO was 20 h. Kinetic study revealed that the adsorption rate of Cs(I) conformed to pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Langmuir adsorption isotherm simulation indicated that the adsorption arises at homogeneous adsorption sites on 18C6-GO. Therefore, crown ether modified GO may have implications for the treatment of wastewater.

Co-construction of molecular-level uranyl-specific "nano-holes" with amidoxime and amino groups on natural bamboo strips for specifically capturing uranium from seawater

Efficiently capturing of uranium (VI) [U(VI)] from seawater elicits unparalleled attraction for sustaining the uplifted requirement for nuclear fuel. However, obtaining the abundant U(VI) resource from seawater has always seriously restricted by competitive adsorption from higher concentrations of competitors, especially vanadium (V) [V(V)]. Herein, based on amidoximized natural bamboo strips with hierarchical porous structure, the molecular-level uranyl-specific "nano-holes" was co-constructed by the intramolecular hydrogen bonds for specifically trapping U(VI) from seawater. Manipulating the branched degrees of amino groups enabled the creation of a series of the molecular-level uranyl-specific "nano-holes" that exhibit ultrahigh affinity and selective adsorption of U(VI) with a adsorption capacity 1.8 fold higher compared to that of V(V) after 30 days floating in the Yellow Sea basin, conquering the long-term challenge of the competitive adsorption of V(V) for amidoxime-based adsorbents applied to extract U(VI) from seawater. The diameter of the molecular-level uranyl-specific "nano-holes" is approximately 12.07 Å, significantly larger than (UO₂)₃(OH)₃⁺ (10.37 Å) and smaller than HV₁₀O₂₈^5-, thereby exhibiting specifically trapping of U(VI) in a series of adsorption experiments with different U(VI)-V(V) ratios. Besides, the adsorption model based on the combination of experimental and theoretical results is accompanied by "hydrogen bond breaking and coordination bond formation".

Integration of quantum dots with Zn2GeO4 nanoellipsoids to expand the dynamic detection range of uranyl ions in fluorescent test strips

Fluorescent colorimetric test strips normally have a narrow dynamic detection-range due to the limited responsive range from single responsive materials, which cannot meet the wide detection requirement in practical applications. Herein, we developed an approach to detect uranyl ions (UO₂²⁺) with a broad detection range using the synthesized ZnS:Mn quantum dots (QDs) modified Zn₂GeO₄ nanoellipsoids (Zn₂GeO₄ @ZnS:Mn NEs), containing two responsive materials with the opposite signal responses at different UO₂²⁺ concentrations. Specifically, a red to chocolate color change was observed at low analyte concentrations (0.01-100 μM) resulting from the photoinduced electron transfer effect from ZnS:Mn QDs to UO₂²⁺. A sequentially olive drab to green color change has been observed when further increasing the UO₂²⁺ concentration (100-1000 μM) as a result of the antenna effect between Zn₂GeO₄ nanoellipsoids and UO₂²⁺. In addition, a low-cost and portable fluorescent test strip has been further fabricated through embedding Zn₂GeO₄ @ZnS:Mn NEs on a microporous structure membrane, demonstrating a facile yet effective colorimetric response to UO₂²⁺ in lab water, lake water, and seawater with a wide dynamic range. Therefore, it is potentially attractive for real-time and on-site detection of UO₂²⁺ in sudden-onset situations.

MXene-Derived 3D Defect-Rich TiO2@Reduced Graphene Oxide Aerogel with Ultrafast Carrier Separation for Photo-Assisted Uranium Extraction: A Combined Batch, X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, and Density Functional Theory Calculations

Encapsulation of nano-semiconductor materials in three-dimensional (3D) adsorbents to build a typical semiconductor-adsorbent heterostructure is a forward-looking strategy for photo-assisted uranium extraction. Here, we develop 3D MXene-derived TiO₂(M)@reduced graphene oxide (RGO) aerogel for photo-assisted uranium extraction. Theoretical simulations demonstrate that oxygen vacancies on TiO₂(M) tailor the energy level structure and enhance the electron accumulation at gap states of TiO₂(M), thereby further realizing the spatial separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs by the Schottky junction. By virtue of the in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum, we identify that photogenerated electrons generated over TiO₂(M) were transferred to graphene oxide aerogel by the Schottky junction. Accordingly, TiO₂ (M)@RGO aerogel presents a considerable removal efficiency for U(VI) with a removal ratio of 95.7%. Relying on the X-ray absorption spectroscopy technique, we distinguish the evolution of 2H₂O-2O_ax-U-5O_eq into H₂O-2O_ax-U-3O_eq from dark to light conditions, further confirming the reduction of high-valent uranium. This strategy may open a paradigm for developing novel heterojunctions as photocatalysts for selective U(VI) extraction.

Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Uranium Extraction from Seawater over an Amidoxime-Functionalized In-N-C Catalyst

Seawater contains uranium at a concentration of ≈3.3 ppb, thus representing a rich and sustainable nuclear fuel source. Herein, an adsorption-electrocatalytic platform is developed for uranium extraction from seawater, comprising atomically dispersed indium anchored on hollow nitrogen-doped carbon capsules functionalized with flexible amidoxime moieties (In-Nx -C-R, where R denotes amidoxime groups). In-Nx -C-R exhibits excellent uranyl capture properties, enabling a uranium removal rate of 6.35 mg g-1 in 24 h, representing one of the best uranium extractants reported to date. Importantly, In-Nx -C-R demonstrates exceptional selectivity for uranium extraction relative to vanadium in seawater (8.75 times more selective for the former). X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) reveals that the amidoxime groups serve as uranyl chelating sites, thus allowing selective adsorption over other ions. XAS and in situ Raman results directly indicate that the absorbed uranyl can be electrocatalytically reduced to an unstable U(V) intermediate, then re-oxidizes to U(VI) in the form of insoluble Na2 O(UO3 ·H2 O)x for collection, through reversible single electron transfer processes involving InNx sites. These results provide detailed mechanistic understanding of the uranium extraction process at a molecular level. This work provides a roadmap for the adsorption-electrocatalytic extraction of uranium from seawater, adding to the growing suite of technologies for harvesting valuable metals from the earth's oceans.