Insight into the performance and mechanism of persimmon tannin functionalized waste paper for U(VI) and Cr(VI) removal

Herein, using dialdehyde waste paper (DAWP) as a cross-linking agent to immobilize persimmon tannin (PT) was first used to remove the U(VI) and Cr(VI) via the “waste control by waste” concept. The microscopic and macroscopic surface properties of the as-prepared adsorbent was characterized by the advanced characterization techniques. Factors that affected the elimination process such as variable pH, coexistence ions and equilibrium time were investigated by batch techniques. The results showed that the maximal removal capacities of U(VI) and Cr(VI) on DAWP-PT were 242.3 mg/g (pH = 6.0) and 178.7 mg/g (pH = 2.0) at 298 K, which exhibited competitiveness with most of the reported solid materials. Meanwhile, adsorption data were fitted perfectly to the Langmuir and Pseudo-second-order equations, which indicated that the monolayer and homogenous chemisorption dominated the removal process. The SEM-EDX, DFT and XPS analysis conformed that adsorption of U(VI) was mainly via surface complexation, while the elimination of Cr(VI) was a redox reaction process, and about 65.33% of Cr(III) and 34.67% of Cr(VI) co-existed onto the surface of DAWP-PT. Thus, this study would provide a high-efficiency and low-cost adsorbent for radionuclide and heavy metal treatment.