Carbonate-H₂O₂ leaching for sequestering uranium from seawater.
Uranium adsorbed on amidoxime-based polyethylene fiber in simulated seawater can be quantitatively eluted at room temperature using 1 M Na2CO3 containing 0.1 M H2O2. This efficient elution process is probably due to the formation of an extremely stable uranyl-peroxo-carbonato complex in the carbonate solution. After washing with water, the sorbent can be reused with minimal loss of uranium loading capacity. Possible existence of this stable uranyl species in ocean water is also discussed.
Department of Chemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-2343, USA. cwai@uidaho.edu.
Horng-Bin
HB
Pan
Weisheng
W
Liao
Chien M
CM
Wai
Yatsandra
Y
Oyola
Christopher J
CJ
Janke
Guoxin
G
Tian
Linfeng
L
Rao