Membrane and Water Treatment

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Selectivity and structural integrity of a nanofiltration membrane for treatment of liquid waste containing uranium

  • Oliveira, Elizabeth E.M. (Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN / CNEN)) ;
  • Barbosa, Celina C.R. (Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN / CNEN)) ;
  • Afonso, Julio C. (Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN / CNEN))
  • Received : 2012.05.17
  • Accepted : 2012.10.02
  • Published : 2012.10.25
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Abstract

The performance of a nanofiltration membrane for treatment of a low-level radioactive liquid waste was investigated through static and dynamic tests. The liquid waste ("carbonated water") was obtained during conversion of $UF_6$ to $UO_2$. In the static tests membrane samples were immersed in the waste for 24, 48 or 72 h. The transport properties of the samples (hydraulic permeability, permeate flow, selectivity) were evaluated before and after immersion in the waste. In the dynamic tests the waste was permeated in a permeation flow front system under 0.5 MPa, to determine the selectivity of NF membranes to uranium. The surface layer of the membrane was characterized by zeta potential, field emission microscopy, atomic force spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The static test showed that the pore size distribution of the selective layer was altered, but the membrane surface charge was not significantly changed. 99% of uranium was rejected after the dynamic tests.

Keywords

References

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