Magnetic ion-imprinted polymer based on mesoporous silica for selective removal of Co(II) from radioactive wastewater

ABSTRACT

A magnetically separable Co(II)-imprinted polymer based on mesoporous silica (mag@silica-CIP) was synthesized for use as an adsorbent for the selective removal of Co(II). The optimal pH for Co(II) adsorption was found to be 5. Increasing the amount of the Co(II)-imprinted polymer layer on the surface of mag@silica led to an increase in the maximum adsorption capacity for Co(II). The mag@silica-CIP selectively adsorbed Co(II) even in the presence of competing species such as Fe(II), Ni(II), and Mn(II) ions. Thermodynamic experiments revealed that the adsorption of Co(II) by mag@silica-CIP is an endothermic and spontaneous process.

KEYWORDS:

• Cobalt
• ion-imprinted polymer
• mesoporous silica
• selectivity
• adsorption

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Nuclear Energy Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2018M2B2B1065631).