Nanoparticle foam flotation for caesium decontamination using a pH-sensitive surfactant

Cyril Micheau, Dmytro Dedovets, Pierre Bauduin, Olivier Diat and Luc Girard, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 6, 1576-1584 (2019)

Equipe L2IA
 

The recent Fukushima event has stimulated the hunt for innovative extraction processes of the caesium ion. Here we propose a process based on the foam flotation of a highly selective Cs-complexing agent, namely nanoparticles of the copper based Prussian blue analogue (Cu-PBA), using a pH-sensitive foaming agent. This extraction process of caesium ions combines many advantages related to: the extremely high selectivity of Cu-PBA towards caesium, the efficiency, the low cost and ecological footprint of the foam extraction process. Indeed we show here that reversible extraction/de-extraction of the Cu-PBA was made possible through pH cycles, which enables the recycling of the surfactant, reducing both the cost and the environmental impact of the overall process

Lire l'article DOI : https://10.1039/C9EN00188C

Cyril Micheau, Dmytro Dedovets, Pierre Bauduin, Olivier Diat and Luc Girard, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 6, 1576-1584 (2019)