• Advances in environmental research
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.65-84
• /
• 2020

The potential use of Sargassum boveanum algae for the removal of uranium from aqueous solution has been studied by varying three independent parameters (pH, initial uranium ion concentration, S. boveanum dosage) using a central composite design (CCD) under response surface methodology (RSM). Batch mode experiments were performed in 20 experimental runs to determine the maximum metal adsorption capacity. In CCD design, the quantitative relationship between different levels of these parameters and heavy metal uptake (q) were used to work out the optimized levels of these parameters. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the proposed quadratic model revealed that this model was highly significant (R² = 0.9940). The best set required 2.81 as initial pH(on the base of design of experiments method), 1.01 g/L S. boveanum and 418.92 mg/L uranium ion concentration within 180 min of contact time to show an optimum uranium uptake of 255 mg/g biomass. The biosorption process was also evaluated by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models represented that the experimental data fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model of a suitable degree and showed the maximum uptake capacity of 500 mg/g. FTIR and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the biosorbent and implied that the functional groups (carboxyl, sulfate, carbonyl and amine) were responsible for the biosorption of uranium from aqueous solution. In conclusion, the present study showed that S. boveanum could be a promising biosorbent for the removal of uranium pollutants from aqueous solutions.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.83-90
• /
• 2011

Removal of dissolved uranium by D. baculatum, a sulfate-reducing bacterium, and effects of trace metals such as manganese, copper, nickel, and cobalt were investigated. Total concentrations of dissolved uranium and trace metals were used by $50\;{\mu}M$ and $200\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Most dissolved uranium decreased up to a non-detectable level (< 10 ppb) MS during the experiments. Most of the heavy metals did nearly not affect the bioremoval rates and amounts of uranium, but copper restrained microbial activity. However, it is found that dissolved uranium rapidly decreased after 2 weeks, showing that the bacteria can overcome the copper toxicity and remove the uranium. It is observed that nickel and cobalt were readily coprecipitated with biogenic mackinawite.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.61-69
• /
• 1993

We examined various enzyme activity changes by intraperitoneal injection uranium in the carp liver. These enzyme activity changes can be used as biochemical indicators of internal exposure to uranium. The results were followings ; 1) Total protein concentration decreased by intraperitoneal injection in the carp liver. 2) Lysosomal acid pretense and ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ activities increased in the liver until sixth intraperitoneal injection of uranium, but Lysosomal acid phosphatase activities decreased in the liver until the sixth injection of uranium. 3) Alkaline phosphatase activities sharply increased and Glutamate oxaloacetate Transaminase activities steadily decreased in the liver until the sixth injection of uranium. 4) Creatine %kinase activities steadily decreased and malate dehydrogenase activities sharply decreased in the liver after the primary injection of uranium. Any malate dehydrogenase activities was not detected after sixth injection of uranium.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.9 no.5
• /
• pp.689-697
• /
• 1998

In this work, we studied the equilibrium, rate and rate determining step of uranium adsorption on RGP resins of MR type prepared by varying the degree of crosslinking and the amount of diluent. The equilibrium of uranium adsorption on RGP resins were well explained by Frendrich isotherm as well as Langmuir isotherm model. The amount of adsorption and adsorption rate increase with the adsorption temperature. The heat of the adsorption was 11 kcal/mol. The adsorption rates of uranium on RGP resins were decreased in the order of RGP-10(50)>RGP-1(50)>RGP-2(50)>RGP-5(50)>RGP-0(50) and RGP-2(75)>RGP-2(100)>RGP-2(50)>RGP-2(30)>RGP-2(0). The diffusion resistance of uranium into RGP resin increased as follows; molecular diffusion < pore diffusion < surface diffusion. On the other hand, the surface diffusion was more dominative than the pore diffusion in intraparticle region. Thus, this result indicates that the adsorption mechanism of uranium on RGP resins is intraparticle diffusion controlled.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.1476-1484
• /
• 2023

Laboratory experiments and point monitoring of reservoir sediments have proven that stable sulfate reduction (SSR) can lower the concentrations of toxic metals and sulfate in acidic groundwater for a long time. Here, we hypothesize that SSR occurred during in situ leaching after uranium mining, which can impact the fate of acid groundwater in an entire region. To test this, we applied a sulfur isotope fractionation method to analyze the mechanism for natural attenuation of contaminated groundwater produced by acid in situ leaching of uranium (Xinjiang, China). The results showed that δ³⁴S increased over time after the cessation of uranium mining, and natural attenuation caused considerable, area-scale immobilization of sulfur corresponding to retention levels of 5.3%-48.3% while simultaneously decreasing the concentration of uranium. Isotopic evidence for SSR in the area, together with evidence for changes of pollutant concentrations, suggest that area-scale SSR is most likely also important at other acid mining sites for uranium, where retention of acid groundwater may be strengthened through natural attenuation. To recapitulate, the sulfur isotope fractionation method constitutes a relatively accurate tool for quantification of spatiotemporal trends for groundwater during migration and transformation resulting from acid in situ leaching of uranium in northern China.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.1855-1862
• /
• 2023

Graphite crucibles are used for melting uranium and its alloys in VIM furnace. Various coating materials namely Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, MgO etc. are applied on the inner surface of the crucibles using paint brush or thermal spray technique to mitigate U-C interaction. These leads to significant amount of carbon pick-up in uranium. In this study, the attempts are made to develop multilayer coatings comprising of SiC/Y₂O₃ and Mo/Y₂O₃ on graphite to study the feasibility of minimizing U-C interaction. The parameters are optimized to prepare SiC coating of about 70㎛ thickness using CVD technique on graphite coupons and subsequently Y₂O₃ coating of about 250㎛ thickness using plasma spray technique. Molybdenum and Y₂O₃ layers were deposited using plasma spray technique with 70㎛ and 250㎛ thickness, respectively. Interaction studies of the coated graphite with molten uranium at 1450℃ for 20 min revealed that Y₂O₃ coating with SiC interlayer provides physical barrier for uranium-graphite interaction, however, this led to the physical separation of coating layer. Y₂O₃ coating with Mo interlayer provided superior barrier effect showing no degradation and the coatings remained intact after interaction tests. Therefore, the Mo/Y₂O₃ coating was found to be a promising solution for minimizing carbon pick-up during uranium/uranium alloy melting.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.12
• /
• pp.4527-4542
• /
• 2023

The present microbial reinforcement of rock and soil exhibits limitations, such as uneven reinforcement effectiveness and low calcium carbonate generation rate, resulting in limited solidification strength. This study introduces electroosmosis as a standard microbial grouting reinforcement technique and investigates its solidification effects on microbial-reinforced uranium tailings. The most effective electroosmosis effect on uranium tailings occurs under a potential gradient of 1.25 V/cm. The findings indicate that a weak electric field can effectively promote microbial growth and biological activity and accelerate bacterial metabolism. The largest calcium carbonate production occurred under the gradient of 0.5 V/cm, featuring a good crystal combination and the best cementation effect. Staged electroosmosis and electrode conversion efficiently drive the migration of anions and cations. Under electroosmosis, the cohesion of uranium tailings reinforced by microorganisms increased by 37.3% and 64.8% compared to those reinforced by common microorganisms and undisturbed uranium tailings, respectively. The internal friction angle is also improved, significantly enhancing the uniformity of reinforcement and a denser and stronger microscopic structure. This research demonstrates that MICP technology enhances the solidification effects and uniformity of uranium tailings, providing a novel approach to maintaining the safety and stability of uranium tailings dams.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.64-68
• /
• 2003

A study on the electrosorption of uranium ions onto a porous activated carbon fiber (ACF) was performed to treat uraniumcontaining lagoon sludge. The result of the continuous flow-through cell electrosorption experiments showed that the applied negative potential increased the adsorption kinetics and capacity in comparison to the open-circuit potential (OCP) adsorption for uranium ions. Effective U(VI) removal is accomplished when a negative potential is applied to the activated carbon fiber (ACF) electrode. For a feed concentration of 100 mg/L, the concentration of U(VI) in the cell effluent is reduced to less than 1 mg/L. The selective removal of uranium ions from electrolyte was possible by the electrosorption process.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.33-38
• /
• 1969

Determinations of the isotopic contents of U$^{235}$ and U$^{238}$ in ten uranium samples containing 0.72-89.70 at % U$^{235}$ were carried out in two ways utilizing high resolution Ge (Li) gamma-ray spectrometer. One method is based upon the fact that the intensity of 185.5 kev gamma-ray vary linearly with U$^{235}$ content for a given geometry. Another method applied for the direct determination of the U$^{235}$ / U$^{238}$ isotopic ratios is the precision gamma-ray spectrometric analysis of reactor irradiated uranium samples after allowing a fixed cooling time for one hour. The results obtained by both methods well agree with the values calculated from the isotopic contents of highly enriched original uranium samples measured by mass spectrometer. The precision obtained was well below 5% for most of the isotopic ratios investigated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.1334-1339
• /
• 2020

This paper presents an empirical and comprehensive forecasting analysis of the uranium price. Prices are generally difficult to forecast, and the uranium price is not an exception because it is affected by many external factors, apart from imbalances between demand and supply. Therefore, a systematic analysis of multiple forecasting methods and combinations of them along repeated forecast origins is a way of discerning which method is most suitable. Results suggest that i) some sophisticated methods do not improve upon the Naïve's (horizontal) forecast and ii) Unobserved Components methods are the most powerful, although the gain in accuracy is not big. These two facts together imply that uranium prices are undoubtedly subject to many uncertainties.