Treatment of Crude Phosphoric Acid Using Activated Carbon-Based Nanocomposites Integrated with Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation

Activated carbon (AC) decorated by silver (Ag/AC) and silica (Ag-Si/AC) nanoparticles was used in the treatment of crude phosphoric acid to remove some inorganic and organic impurities. The effect of time, solid/liquid ratio, temperature, and hydrogen peroxide dose on the phosphoric acid treatment was examined. The catalytic activity and uranium uptake efficiency are improved when carbon structures contain Ag and Si nanoparticles. Uranium and organic matter are removed from crude phosphoric acid more efficiently when crude phosphoric acid is treated with activated carbon decorated by silver (Ag/AC) and silica (Ag-Si/AC) nanoparticles with catalytic wet peroxide oxidation, compared to the treatment with activated carbon only, and at high acid concentration (8 M) and solid/liquid mass ratios (0.001), using unsurpassed H₂O₂. The higher removal efficiencies of uranium and organic matter (OM) were attributed to the increased adsorptive interactions between the AC-based adsorbent surfaces and the OM and uranium species.