Lanthanum biosorption by a Pseudomonas sp. was characterized in terms of equilibrium metal loading, model fitting, kinetics, effect of solution pH, lanthanum-bacteria interaction mechanism and recovery of sorbed metal. Lanthanum sorption by the bacterium was rapid and optimum at pH 5.0 with equilibrium metal loading as high as 950 mg g(-1) biomass dry wt. Scatchard model and potentiometric titration suggested the presence of at least two types of metal-binding sites, corresponding to a strong and a weak binding affinity. The chemical nature of metal-microbe interaction has been elucidated employing FTIR spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). FTIR spectroscopy and XRD analysis revealed strong involvement of cellular carboxyl and phosphate groups in lanthanum binding by the bacterial biomass. EDX and the elemental analysis of the sorption solution ascertained the binding of lanthanum with the bacterial biomass via displacement of cellular potassium and calcium. Transmission electron microscopy exhibited La accumulation throughout the bacterial cell with some granular deposits in cell periphery and in cytoplasm. XRD confirmed the presence of LaPO4 crystals onto the bacterial biomass after La accumulation for a long period. A combined ion-exchange-complexation-microprecipitation mechanism could be involved in lanthanum accumulation by the biomass. Almost 98% of biomass-bound La could be recovered using CaCO3 as the desorbing agent.

Lanthanum biosorption by a Pseudomonas sp.: equilibrium studies and chemical characterization.

In this paper, a new Th4+ ion-selective chromogenic sensor (L) was developed by reacting 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarbohydrazide with 2-hydroxy naphthaldehyde. The sensing ability of L toward Th4+ was investigated in solution and paper strips loaded with L using spectrophotometric and colorimetric methods. The selective interaction of L was examined with various f-metal ions and other selected metal ions from s-block and d-block elements. Results show that by the colorimetric method in solution-phase dimethyl sulfoxide/H2O (7:3, v/v) and paper strip methods, the naked-eye detectable color change of L occurred from colorless solution to yellow-orange and pale yellow colour upon interacting with Th4+ and Al3+, respectively, whereas other metal ions did not interfere. The ligand L exhibits two absorbance bands at 320 and 375 nm because of ligand-to-ligand charge transfer. Upon interaction with Th4+, L undergoes red shift of both absorption bands and the formation of a new UV-vis band at 335 and 440 nm. The UV-visible spectral studies indicate the formation of a 1:1 host-guest complex between L and Th4+ with an association constant of 4.7 × 103 M-1. The limit of quantification and limit of detection of L for the analysis of Th4+ are found to be 167 and 50 nM, respectively. The visually detectable color change of L has been well integrated with a smartphone RGB color value to make it an analytical signal for real-time analysis of Th4+ with the detection limit down to 116 nM. Besides, L was applied for the analysis of Th4+ content present in various real water samples, monazite, and lantern mantle samples by spectrophotometry and RGB color values. The binding mode of L with Th4+ is investigated by 1H NMR, electrospray ionization-mass, and theoretical studies.

Development of the Smartphone-Assisted Colorimetric Detection of Thorium by Using New Schiff’s Base and Its Applications to Real Time Samples

Microbial removal of uranium in uranium-bearing black shale.

Utilisation of a hydrogen uranyl phosphate-based ion exchanger supported on a biofilm for the removal of cobalt, strontium and caesium from aqueous solutions

H. Eccles

Papers

Determination of uranium, thorium and lanthanum in mixed solutions using simultaneous spectrophotometry