A Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) professor has received an $800,000 award from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop more efficient methods of recovering uranium from industrial wastewater .
Addressing the growing demand for uranium
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that global nuclear power capacity could increase 2.5-fold by 2050. This growth poses a significant challenge in terms of uranium sources. Rather than relying on traditional mining, researchers are looking for alternatives, and one of the most promising is the recovery of uranium from industrial wastewater from mining and milling operations .
According to Xiaowei Teng, a professor of chemical engineering at WPI and the project leader, this approach could provide an additional source of uranium for nuclear needs and also help reduce environmental pollution caused by this waste.
Recovering uranium from wastewater not only improves the health of ecosystems but also ensures the security of uranium for the country’s needs.
Teng commented.
Advances in uranium recovery processes
Currently, traditional uranium recovery methods use adsorption, a costly and efficiency-limiting process. Teng’s team is working on an electrochemical-based system to separate heavy metal ions using specialized electrodes. This new approach could reduce the toxicity of the wastewater generated during the extraction process.
We want to move beyond trial and error and discover the fundamental characteristics that will allow us to extract uranium from wastewater in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way.
Teng explains.
A key part of the project will be the development of reusable electrode materials specifically designed to recover critical metals more effectively.
Collaboration and the future of research
Teng’s work builds on his previous research using chloride ions from seawater for green batteries and wastewater treatment . The three-year project, funded by the DOE’s Office of Basic Sciences Separation Program, will involve Özgür Çapraz, an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Maryland, who will serve as co-principal investigator.
If the research is successful, this new uranium recovery process could improve the supply of nuclear fuel and reduce toxic wastewater pollution generated by mining.
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Source and photo: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
