Testing sorption of uranium from seawater on waste biomass: A feasibility study

The extraction of uranium from seawater has been successfully performed in batch mode on 15 selected biomaterials, including fruit, green vegetable and tuber samples. Theses biomaterial samples were contacted static batches with Irish (2.8 ppb U) for periods 1–2 months. After sorption, both supernatants HNO3 digests the sorbed biomass analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) uranium. Sorption onto following materials revealed loadings (µg kg−1) increases 10 to 20 diced potato (Solanum tuberosum), Sultanas grape (Vitis vinifera), Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea), sweet (Ipomoea batatas), 200–300 skin nectarine (Prunus Persica), orange (Citrus Sinensis) tuberosum). fraction reached 92% 98% peanut shell, skin, sprouts, garlic, pulp, grape. Consequently Kd values order 50 200 mL g−1 mange tout (Pisum sativum), batatas) whole, tuberosum) oleracea) Persica) 1000 vitaceae) vinifera) grape, (Arachis hypogaea) kale oleriaceae), lemon finally 1000–2000 garlic (Allium sativum). Polyphenols are expected increase sorption. plot polyphenol concentration displays a positive correlation. Increases sorption may also be due U(VI) reduction U(IV) antioxidants reported these biomaterials colloidal aggregation, suggesting irreversible This screening study aimed select specific bio-waste material absorbents tested detail future study, prior tests at pilot scale.