Eggshell membrane (ESM), a common biological waste generated in food processing and daily life, has been transformed into a high-performance adsorbent through carboxylation. This study presents a facile and eco-friendly method to functionalize natural ESM with glyoxylic acid, resulting in a carboxyl-rich material designated as ESM-COOH. The modified membrane exhibits exceptional selectivity and efficiency in capturing uranium (VI) ions from complex radioactive wastewater. Characterization via SEM, FT-IR, XPS, and zeta potential analysis confirms successful grafting of carboxyl groups onto the ESM surface. The presence of abundant -COOH functional groups enhances both the adsorption capacity and specificity toward UO₂²⁺. The adsorption process follows pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models, indicating monolayer chemisorption dominated by coordination interactions between carboxylate ligands and uranyl cations. A maximum adsorption capacity of 78.75 mg g⁻¹ was achieved under optimal conditions (pH 5.0, 25°C), which is 2.3 times higher than that of pristine ESM. Notably, the selectivity coefficient for UO₂²⁺ exceeds 75%, surpassing most reported adsorbents even in the presence of competing metal ions such as Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Sr²⁺. This high selectivity stems from the hard-hard interaction between the relatively hard uranyl ion and the hard carboxyl functional groups, consistent with the Hard-Soft Acid-Base theory. Moreover, the ESM-COOH demonstrates excellent reusability—retaining 84% of its initial capacity after six consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles using 0.5 M HNO₃ as eluent. XPS and SEM analyses confirm structural stability and minimal degradation post-regeneration.Arg Antibody Protocol The low cost derived from waste ESM, combined with green synthesis and effective performance, positions ESM-COOH as a sustainable and scalable solution for uranium remediation in nuclear wastewater treatment.ITM2B Antibody Cancer This work exemplifies a promising strategy to convert biological waste into valuable functional materials for environmental applications, offering a viable path toward large-scale, cost-effective, and selective removal of radionuclides from contaminated water sources.PMID:35107705 MedChemExpress (MCE) offers a wide range of high-quality research chemicals and biochemicals (novel life-science reagents, reference compounds and natural compounds) for scientific use. We have professionally experienced and friendly staff to meet your needs. We are a competent and trustworthy partner for your research and scientific projects.Related websites: https://www.medchemexpress.com