The effect of Paecilomyces catenlannulatus on removal of U(VI) by illite

The effect of Paecilomyces catenlannulatus (P. catenlannulatus) on removal of U(VI) onto illite as a function of contact time, pH, ionic strength, and solution concentration was conducted by batch techniques. The adsorption kinetics indicated that the removal of U(VI) on illite and illite coated P. catenlannulatus can be fitted by pseudo-second order kinetic model very well. The removal of U(VI) on illite and illite coated P. catenlannulatus increased with increasing pH from 1.0 to 7.0, whereas the decrease of U(VI) adsorption on illite and illite coated P. catenlannulatus was observed at pH > 7.5. The adsorption behavior of U(VI) on illite and illite coated P. catenlannulatus can be simulated by the double diffuse model under various pH conditions. The ionic strength-dependent experiments showed that the removal of U(VI) on illite was outer-sphere surface complexation, whereas the inner-sphere surface complexation predominated the U(VI) adsorption onto illite coated P. catenlannulatus at pH 5.0–7.0. The maximum adsorption capacity of U(VI) on illite and illite coated P. catenlannulatus calculated from Langmuir model at pH 5.0 and T = 298 K was 46.729 and 54.347 mg/g, respectively, revealing enhanced adsorption of U(VI) on illite coated P. catenlannulatus. This paper highlights the effect of microorganism on the removal of radionuclides from aqueous solutions in environmental pollution management. - Highlights: • The removal of U(VI) by illite is strongly influenced by Paecilomyces catenlannulatus. • The removal of U(VI) by illite is an exothermic and spontaneous process. • The removal of U(VI) can be simulated by double diffuse model