Extraction of uranium from sea water by cultured algae

Heide, Erik Auf der; Wagener, K.; Paschke, Mark W.; Wald, Matthew L.

doi:10.1007/bf00623560

Cited by 19 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Heide et al (1973) suggested that unicellular green algae in continuous culture could remove 95% of the dissolved U from seawater, with accumulation factors greater than 4000. Pribil and Marvan (1976) similar results.…”

Section: Adsorptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of the algaemicrobial systems can sequester metals and U in concentrations far above the level in the surrounding water (e.g. Heide et al, 1973). Several mechanisms have been described whereby U(VI) can be associated with algae: (i) adsorption to cell surfaces; (ii) adsorption to extracellular polysaccharides; (iii) uptake into cells and incorporation into vacuoles; (iv) incorporation into CaCO 3 (aragonite) structures associated with some marine and freshwater algae; and (v) precipitation of U on the cell surface or internally.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The removal of uranium from mining waste water using algal/microbial biomass

Kalin¹,

Wheeler²,

Meinrath³

2005

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

301

134

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We describe a three step process for the removal of uranium (U) from dilute waste waters.Step one involves the sequestration of U on, in, and around aquatic plants such as algae. Cell wall ligands efficiently remove U(VI) from waste water. Growing algae continuously renew the cellular surface area.Step 2 is the removal of U-algal particulates from the water column to the sediments.Step 3 involves reducing U(VI) to U(IV) and transforming the ions into stable precipitates in the sediments. The algal cells provide organic carbon and other nutrients to heterotrophic microbial consortia to maintain the low E H , within which the U is transformed.Among the microorganisms, algae are of predominant interest for the ecological engineer because of their ability to sequester U and because some algae can live under many extreme environments, often in abundance. Algae grow in a wide spectrum of water qualities, from alkaline environments (Chara, Nitella) to acidic mine drainage waste waters (Mougeotia, Ulothrix). If they could be induced to grow in waste waters, they would provide a simple, longterm means to remove U and other radionuclides from U mining effluents. This paper reviews the literature on algal and microbial adsorption, reduction, and transformation of U in waste streams, wetlands, lakes and oceans.

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Section: Adsorptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The removal of uranium from mining waste water using algal/microbial biomass

Kalin¹,

Wheeler²,

Meinrath³

2005

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

301

134

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Several forms of biota have been observed to concentrate uranium from seawater [10]. The attractiveness of this technique lies in the fact that it is a naturally occurring technique and obviously takes place in the natural seawater environment.…”

Section: 416 Biologicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extraction of uranium from seawater: chemical process and plant design feasibility study

Campbell¹,

Frame²,

Dudey³

et al. 1979

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“…These uranium land reserves, combined with the suitable production cost for the extraction of the uranium from the sea, can contribute to the growing international nuclear industry. Researchers have been inspired to develop adsorbents to recover this untapped supply of uranium contained in the ocean since the 1960s by researchers in many countries, including the United States, , Japan, − Great Britain, Germany, − Russia, , China, , India, − South Korea, , Turkey, , and others. , …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthesis, Development, and Testing of High-Surface-Area Polymer-Based Adsorbents for the Selective Recovery of Uranium from Seawater

Oyola

Janke

Dai

2016

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

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The ocean contains uranium with an approximate concentration of 3.34 ppb, which can serve as an incredible supply source to sustain nuclear energy in the United States. Unfortunately, technology currently available to recover uranium from seawater is not efficient enough and mining uranium on land is still more economical. We have developed polymer-based adsorbents with high uranium adsorption capacities by grafting amidoxime onto high-surface-area polyethylene (PE) fibers. Various process conditions have been screened, in combination with developing a rapid testing protocol (<24 h), to optimize the process. These adsorbents are synthesized through radiation-induced grafting of acrylonitrile (AN) and methacrylic acid (MAA) onto PE fibers, followed by the conversion of nitriles to amidoximes and basic conditioning. In addition, the uranium adsorption capacity, measured in units of g U /kg ads , is greatly increased by reducing the diameter of the PE fiber or changing its morphology. An increase in the surface area of the PE polymer fiber allows for more grafting sites that are positioned in more-accessible locations, thereby increasing access to grafted molecules that would normally be located in the interior of a fiber with a larger diameter. Polymer fibers with hollow morphologies are able to adsorb beyond 1 order of magnitude more uranium from simulated seawater than current commercially available adsorbents. Several high-surface-area fibers were tested in natural seawater and were able to extract 5−7 times more uranium than any adsorbent reported to date.

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Extraction of uranium from sea water by cultured algae

Cited by 19 publications

References 0 publications

The removal of uranium from mining waste water using algal/microbial biomass

The removal of uranium from mining waste water using algal/microbial biomass

Extraction of uranium from seawater: chemical process and plant design feasibility study

Synthesis, Development, and Testing of High-Surface-Area Polymer-Based Adsorbents for the Selective Recovery of Uranium from Seawater

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