Preparation, characterization, uranium (VI) biosorption models, and conditions optimization by response surface methodology (RSM) for amidoxime-functionalized marine fungus materials

Abstract Amidoxime-functionalized marine fungus Fusarium sp. #ZZF51 (ZGDA) was synthesized and studied to adsorb uranium (VI) from the aqueous solution. Different instrumental techniques such as FTIR, SEM, and TGA were employed for the characterization of the manufactured materials, and theirs ability of removal uranium (VI) was optimized using RSM. The experimental results showed the maximum adsorption capacity for the synthesized materials was 230.78 mg g −1 at the following optimization conditions: S–L ratio 150 mg L −1 , pH 5.13, uranium (VI) initial concentration 40 mg L −1 , and equilibrium time 122.40 min. More than 85% of the absorbed uranium (VI) could be desorbed by 0.5 or 1.0 mol L −1 HCl, and the modified mycelium could be reused at least five times. The thermodynamic experimental data of adsorption uranium (VI) could fit better with Langumir and Freundlich isotherms models, and the pseudo-second-order model was better to interpret the kinetics process. The modified fungus materials exhibited the better sorption capacity for uranium (VI) in comparison with raw biomass should be attributed to the strong chelation of amidoxime to uranium (VI) ions.