An anti-algae adsorbent for uranium extraction: l-Arginine functionalized graphene hydrogel loaded with Ag...

Uranium (VI) is very essential element in nuclear technique and the enrichment uranium has attracted lots of attention. In this work, l-Arginine and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) functionalized reduced graphene oxide ternary hydrogel composites (Ag-l-Arg-rGH) were successfully synthesized, which combined the insertion of AgNPs with one-step thermal reduction and an assembly of graphene oxide nanosheets, using l-Arginine (l-Arg) as both a functional and cross-linking agents. The Ag-l-Arg-rGH composites exhibited great enhanced sorption capacity. Kinetic data best fitted the pseudo-second-order model. The thermodynamic data fitted the Langmuir isotherm model and the calculated maximum adsorption capacity is 434.78 mg/g. In addition, the anti-algae experimental results indicated adsorbent showed marked algal inhibition with the presence of AgNPs in the Ag-l-Arg-rGH composites. In the simulated seawater experiments, The distribution coefficient (K_d) value of uranium(VI) with other competing ions was 2.41 × 10⁴ mL g^-1. Thereby, the Ag-l-Arg-rGH composites possessed a promising potential for the enrichment uranium (VI) from nature seawater.