A Styrofoam-nano manganese oxide based composite: Preparation and application for the treatment of wastewater.

Nano-composites were synthesized by the reaction of waste polystyrene (PS) and KMnO4 . The structure of the composite was controlled by the solvent/non-solvent system and the concentration of KMnO4 . The FTIR spectra indicated the functionalization of PS and the attachment of NMO with the polymer chains. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax ) were 10,000 and 5000 Bq g-1 , for U and Th respectively. Different but controllable sorption/desorption behaviours were noted between Th and U, which could be promising in the separation of Th and U from their mixture.