Highly efficient copper hexacyanoferrate-embedded pectin sorbent for radioactive cesium ions removal

Released cesium-137 poses a serious threat to living organisms and the environment. As a radioactive substance, it can only be disposed by the greatest possible concentration and safe storage. In our work, a highly efficient sorbent @CuHCF/P (q_max = 143.6 ± 3.2 mg/g) composed of pectin (P) and modified copper hexacyanoferrate (@CuHCF) was prepared for the removal of cesium from aqueous solutions. Suitable modification of CuHCF generated a homogeneous and highly packed sorbent with active substances (up to 50%). The as-prepared sorbent exhibited a suitable bead shape (round, 2–4 mm diameter, wet form) for application in dynamic systems and allowed easy separation from the purified solution. @CuHCF/P sorbent showed high sorption capacity in seawater (q = 104.6 ± 3.5 mg/g) and stability over a wide range of pH (4-10) and temperatures (12 °C, 22 °C and 32 °C). In addition, @CuHCF was dust-free, and occupied little volume when dry. Therefore proposed sorbent can be successfully used to trap cesium ions.