Volume: 3, 2024
3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: E007
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.E007
Published online: 24 April 2024
ICDSUPL, 3, E007 (2024)
Green solutions for critical raw materials. Alginate-based composites in rare earth element recovery
Dominika Fila1*, Zbigniew Hubicki1, Dorota Kołodyńska1
1 Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Science, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Maria Curie-Skłodowska 2, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: dominika.fila@mail.umcs.pl
Abstract
Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are commonly regarded as critical raw materials due to their unique and indispensable properties, which make them essential for a wide range of high-tech applications. REEs play a strategic and irreplaceable role in various advanced technologies, including electronics, renewable energy, and defense systems. Given the challenging circumstances in the REEs market, arising from China’s restrictions on their export volumes and the rising demand for these elements, there is a growing emphasis on exploring alternative sources. A potential resolution involves the recycling of discarded materials, particularly electronic devices, with a focus on extracting REEs from such waste. Traditional methods for recovering REEs encompass various techniques such as coagulation, chemical precipitation, flotation, electrochemical processes, ion exchange, and adsorption. In the last decades, the study and development of new adsorbents based on natural origin has been growing. In the present study, the green alginate-based composite modified with ion exchanger Duolite ES63 (ALG@DES63) was fabricated by external gelation using calcium chloride as a crosslinking agent. The new biosorbent was characterized by ATR/FT-IR, XPS spectroscopy, SEM-EDX microscopy, and pHpzc measurements. The adsorption performance of ALG@DES63 composite beads towards cerium(III) and praseodymium(III) ions was evaluated via batch adsorption tests, which included solution pH, contact time, initial metal concentration, and temperature effect tests, adsorption kinetics, and an adsorption isotherm. To investigate the biosorbents reusability the sorption-desorption cycles were performed 6 times. Alginate@Duolite ES63 composite beads exhibited excellent adsorption properties at pH 3–6, which achieved complete removal of cerium(III) and praseodymium(III) ions (98–100%). Alginate sorbent has shown a very high affinity toward rare earth metal ions. The pseudo-second order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model were the best models to describe the sorption process of Ce(III) and Pr(III) ions onto ALG@DES63, according to the kinetic and isotherm equilibrium investigations. The research findings reveal that ALG@DES63 composite beads can be used as a green, low-cost adsorbent for rare earth element recovery from aqueous solutions.
The research was funded by the National Science Centre in accordance with decision No. 2019/35/N/ST8/01390.
Keywords: rare earth elements, alginate, green composite, adsorption
How to cite
D. Fila, Z. Hubicki, D. Kołodyńska, 2024. Green solutions for critical raw materials. Alginate-based composites in rare earth element recovery. In: 3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.E007