Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for removing actinides in cationic form from an aqueous solution, said method comprising the steps of:reacting graphite with potassium permanganate in a mixture of sulfuric and phosphoric acids to form graphene oxide;contacting said solution with said graphene oxide to adsorb said actinides onto said graphene oxide from said solution. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting comprises mixing said graphene oxides with the solution. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said actinides in cationic form are selected from the group consisting of Am, Pu, Np, and U. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of separating said graphene oxide having said actinides adsorbed thereon from the solution, wherein the separating step occurs after the adsorption step. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the separating step is selected from the group consisting of centrifugation, ultra-centrifugation, filtration, ultra-filtration, precipitation, electrophoresis, reverse osmosis, sedimentation, incubation, treatment with acids, treatment with bases, treatment with chelating agents, and combinations thereof. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the separating step comprises the addition of a polymer to the solution, wherein the polymer addition leads to a precipitation of said graphene oxide having said actinides adsorbed thereon from the solution.