ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2 coated microsphere glass supports derived from coal fly ash cenospheres as a novel sorbent for radionuclide trapping

[Display omitted] •Nanosized ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2 was synthesized on the surface of glass microspheres.•Ion sorption properties were established for ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2.•ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2 /microsphere composite exhibited an enhanced ion sorption ability.•Preferential Nd3+ sorption with KD value of about 104 ml/g was revealed. The nanostructured polycrystalline ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2 coating was synthesized on coal fly ash cenosphere derived microsphere glass supports via a two-step mild hydrothermal procedure resulting in a microsphere composite of a hollow core-shell structure. Sorption properties of the microsphere composite with respect to Cs+, Sr2+ and Nd3+ as non-radioactive imitators of 137Cs, 90Sr and actinides (III) were estimated. The nanostructured design of the coating was shown to enhance the Nd3+, Sr2+,Cs+ sorption in comparison with pure microsized ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2. Nd3+, Sr2+, Cs+ sorption distribution coefficients were determined (0.52∙104, 0.40∙103 and 0.92∙102 mL/g, respectively) and preferential Nd3+ sorption was explained on the basis of ZrMo2O7(OH)2(H2O)2 structure.