Treatment of uranium contaminated waste by complexation and ultrafiltration

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:arial;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">The present study is an attempt to remove uranium by complexing with some complexing agents and passing the effluent through ultrafilter of 1000 molecular weight cut off hollow fibre membrane made of polysulphone to retain uranium along with complexing agent. Polyethylenimine, polyacrylamide and EDTA have been used as complexing agents where Ca₃ (PO₄)₂ and Fe (OH)₃ as precipitating agents for this purpose. Results indicate that 800 mg/L of EDTA and 200 mg/L of polyethylenimine at a <i>p</i>H of 8 to 9 are most effective. The final activity was brought down to 10^-7 mCi/L being the maximum permissible concentration for alpha activity in the effluent to be discharged in the sea.</span>