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Removal of uranium by biogenetic jarosite coupled with photoinduced reduction in the presence of oxalic acid: a low-cost remediation technology

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Abstract

As jarosite and oxalic acid are ubiquitous in nature, we investigated a remediation technology for uranium-contaminated site by photoinduced reduction coupled with adsorption of jarosite. Jarosite exhibited excellent adsorption properties for uranium, with a highest adsorption capacity 453.98 mg g−1. With the presence of oxalic acid, U(VI) was removed at a reduction ratio of 30.71% under irradiation. It may be that oxalic acid promoted the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) in jarosite, and then Fe(II) reduced U(VI) to U(IV). The results confirmed the applicability of the remediation by adsorption using jarosite and light-induced reduction.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program: 2014CB846003), National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers: 51974261, 41802037)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, People’s Republic of China

    Hongfu Wei & Faqin Dong

  2. Life Science and Engineering College, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, People’s Republic of China

    Hongfu Wei, Mulan Chen, Miao He & Mingxue Liu

  3. Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Ministry of Education of China, Mianyang, 621010, People’s Republic of China

    Faqin Dong

  4. Analytical and Testing Center, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Zhang

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  1. Hongfu Wei
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Wei, H., Dong, F., Chen, M. et al. Removal of uranium by biogenetic jarosite coupled with photoinduced reduction in the presence of oxalic acid: a low-cost remediation technology. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 324, 715–729 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07125-5

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