Polonium removal from waters by silver-coated Luffa Cylindrica biochar fibers

Abstract

The sorption of ultra-trace levels of polonium by Luffa Cylindrica biochar fibers has been investigated in de-ionized water and seawater samples prior and after surface modification (Ag-coating) of the adsorbent. The effect of pH on the sorption efficiency (e.g., partition coefficient values, Kd) indicated that pH, which governs the solution chemistry of Po(IV), affects to a large degree the sorption efficiency and that Ag-coating of the surface results in significantly higher Kd values. The modified adsorbent presents enhanced removal efficiency for Po-209 even from seawater samples indicating the usefulness of the modified biochar fibers for the treatment of polonium contaminated waters.