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Removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution using sponge iron

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Abstract

Direct reduced iron (DRI), also called sponge iron, was used for the removal of U(VI) from aqueous solution. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of various factors including contact time, solution pH, DRI dosage and initial uranium concentration on this removal process. The result suggested that U(VI) can be rapidly removed by DRI and this removal process followed an apparent first-order reaction kinetics. The optimum pH for uranium removal was between 2.0 and 4.0. Whether U(VI) can be fully removed was influenced by the molar ratio of DRI to U(VI) in solution. The aqueous U(VI) can be removed completely when this ratio was more than ca. 1,000. The U(VI) removal capacities of DRI decreased with increasing DRI dosages at a constant concentration of U(VI), but increased almost linearly with increasing initial U(VI) concentrations at a fixed dosage of DRI. The maximum U(VI) removal capacity was 5.71 mg/g DRI. Finally, the possible mechanism of U(VI) removal by DRI was also discussed. The XPS and XRD analysis showed that U(VI) was deposited as UO3 onto DRI surface, indicating that U(VI) can be removed without reduction.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by grants from the Key Project of Science and Technology Plan of Hunan Province (2012FJ2002), National Outstanding Youth Research Foundation of China (40925010), International Joint Key Project from National Natural Science Foundation of China (40920134003), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41273131), International Joint Key Project from Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (2011DFA00120, 2009DFA92830 and 2010DFA92090), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2012M510322).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Functional Organometallic Materials, College of Hunan Province, Hengyang Normal University, Huangbai Road No. 165, Hengyang, 421008, Hunan, China

    Zheng-ji Yi, Jin-sheng Xu, Man-sheng Chen & Wei Li

  2. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and National International Cooperation Base on Environment and Energy, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Xueyuan Road No. 30, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China

    Zheng-ji Yi, Jun Yao, Hui-lun Chen & Fei Wang

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  1. Zheng-ji Yi
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  2. Jin-sheng Xu
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  3. Man-sheng Chen
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  4. Wei Li
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  5. Jun Yao
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  6. Hui-lun Chen
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Correspondence to Jin-sheng Xu or Jun Yao.

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Yi, Zj., Xu, Js., Chen, Ms. et al. Removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution using sponge iron. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 298, 955–961 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-013-2479-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-013-2479-x

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