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Application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in analysis of sorption of selected lanthanides on ironnanoparticles

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are widely used in chemical engineering, nuclear industry, metallurgy, electronics and computer technology because of their unique properties. It is of great importance to fulfil ever-increasing demands for recycling those elements from REEs containing products as well as wastewater [1]. Among a number of available methods, adsorption of metal cations from water solutions has gained wide attention because of its simplicity, high efficiency and low cost. Zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) demonstrate unique sorption and magnetic properties, which are of great advantage in terms of magnetic separation and re-use without loss of efficiency [2]. Iron nanoparticles are often surface modified by use of coating reagents. In this work, dipicolinic acid (pyridine-2, 6- dicarboxylic acid, PDCA) was used for the surface modification [3]. In order to confirm the efficiency of functionalization, nZVIs were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Modification success was confirmed through assignation of vibration bands that correspond to PDCA bonding onto nanoparticles. Size of prepared nanoparticles was estimated by use of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Sorption of selected REEs and actinides from aqueous solutions (Y, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er, Th, U) on neutral and functionalized nZVI was analysed by inductively coupled plasma- mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Unique performance capability of this method allow the sensitive determination of ions in the heavy masses range, even in the cases when elemental isotopic composition is extremely complex. Measured results confirmed the different capacity for metal ion sorption in the nZVI and functionalized PDCA-nZVI mediums.

iron nanoparticles, Rare Earth Elements ICP-MS, dipicolinic acid

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