Abstract
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•Bentonite/zeolite hybrid structure applied in the retention of U (VI), Sr (II), and Ba (II) ions.•It achieved retention capacities of 72.26 mg/g (U), 123 mg/g (Ba), and 187.9 mg/g (Sr).•The Langmuir assumption represents the reactions suggesting monolayer retention forms.•The reactions are exothermic and spontaneous reactions based on the thermodynamic studies.•The structure used effectively in reducing Sr (II) and U (VI) from the real groundwater.
Bentonite/zeolite hybrid structure was synthesized as adsorbent material for promising retention of U (VI), Sr (II), and Ba (II) as toxic radionuclides in water. The retention of U (VI) and Ba (II) show slight partialities to be described with the Pseudo-First order model and the adsorption of Sr (II) is of slightly higher fitting with Pseudo-Second order model. The equilibrium modeling demonstrated retention processes according to Langmuir assumption with expected qmax of 172.26 mg/g, 123 mg/g, and 187.9 mg/g for U (VI), Ba (II), and Sr (II), respectively. The calculated energies for the retention of U (VI) (1.18 KJ/mol), Ba (II) (0.84 KJ/mol), and Sr (II) (1.24 KJ/mol) suggesting physisorption mechanisms. The retention reactions are of exothermic nature with spontaneous properties. The studied BE/Z hybrid structure is of excellent recyclability properties and is of promising efficiency in reducing Sr (II) and U (VI) from the groundwater sample.