Dexin Ding

Adsorption and recovery of U(VI) from low concentration uranium solution by amidoxime modified Aspergillus niger

Amidoxime modified Aspergillus niger (AMAN) was prepared by the oximation reaction. The effects of the initial pH, contact time, initial U(VI) concentration and biosorbent dose on the adsorption of U(VI) ions from radioactive wastewater in U(VI) concentrations of less than 1 mg L−1 by AMAN and the raw Aspergillus niger (RAN) were investigated. The maximum adsorption efficiency by AMAN for the 0.5 mg L−1 U(VI) solution amounted to 98.85% under the optimum adsorption conditions, while the maximum adsorption efficiency by RAN was only 77.83%. The adsorption equilibrium data were found to be best fitted to Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum biosorption capacity of AMAN for U(VI) was estimated to be 621 mg g−1 at 298 K. The biosorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order model and intraparticle diffusion equation. The Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°), enthalpy change (ΔH°) and entropy change (ΔS°) showed that the adsorption process of U(VI) was spontaneous, feasible and endothermic. The SEM-EDS study indicated that much more U(VI) ions were adsorbed by AMAN than by RAN. FT-IR study showed that the –NH2 and N–OH groups of amidoxime were the dominant ones for binding UO22+ ions. Moreover, AMAN was found to have excellent selective adsorption capability of U(VI) due to amidoxime groups. The UO22+ ions adsorbed by AMAN could be desorbed using 0.1 M HCl, and the desorption efficiency reaching 87.28% at the 8th cycle of adsorption and desorption.

Vegetation composition and 226Ra uptake by native plant species at a uranium mill tailings impoundment in South China

A field investigation was conducted for the vegetation composition and (226)Ra uptake by native plant species at a uranium mill tailings impoundment in South China. 80 species belonging to 67 genera in 32 families were recorded in the sampling sites. The Poaceae and Asteraceae were the dominant families colonizing the impoundment. The number of the plant species and vegetation community composition in the sampling sites seemed most closely related to the activities of (226)Ra and the pH value of the uranium tailings. The plant species in the sampling sites with relatively low activities of (226)Ra and relatively high pH value formed a relatively stable vegetation community. The plant species in the sampling sites with medium activities of (226)Ra and medium pH value formed the transitional vegetation community. The plant species in the sampling sites with relatively high activities of (226)Ra and relatively low pH value formed a simple unstable vegetation community that was similar to that on the unused grassland. The activities of (226)Ra and transfer factors (TFs) varied greatly with the plant species. The high activities of (226)Ra and TFs were found in the leaves of Pteris multifida (150.6 Bq/g of AW; 9.131), Pteridium aquilinum (122.2 Bq/g of AW; 7.409), and Dryopteris scottii (105.7 Bq/g of AW; 6.408). They satisfied the criteria for a hyperaccumulator for (226)Ra. They may be the candidates for phytoremediation of (226)Ra in the uranium mill tailings impoundment areas and the contaminated soils around.

Bioreduction of U(VI) and stability of immobilized uranium under suboxic conditions

In order to study the bioreduction of U(VI) and stability of immobilized uranium under suboxic conditions, microcosm were amended with ethanol, lactate and glucose, and incubated under suboxic conditions. During the incubation, total dissolved U in amended microcosms decreased from 0.95 mg/L to 0.03 mg/L. Pyrosequencing results showed that, the proportion of anaerobic microorganisms capable of reducing U(VI) under suboxic conditions was small compared with that under anoxic conditions; the proportion of aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms capable of consuming the dissolved oxygen was large; and some of the facultative anaerobic microorganisms could reduce U(VI). These results indicated that different microbial communities were responsible for the bioreduction of U(VI) under suboxic and anoxic conditions. After the electron donors were exhausted, total dissolved U in the amended microcosms remained unchanged, while the U(VI)/U(IV) ratio in the solid phase of sediments increased obviously. This implied that the performance of bioreduction of the U(VI) can be maintained under suboxic condition.

Selective removal of U(VI) from low concentration wastewater by functionalized HKUST-1@H3PW12O40

The adsorption of U(VI) from low concentration solution by HKUST-1@H3PW12O40 was studied as a function of various experimental parameters including pH, interfering ions, contact time, initial uranium concentration and temperature by batch experiments. Equilibrium data were found to fit with Langmuir isotherm model better than Freundlich isotherm model. The kinetic adsorption was fitted by the pseudo-second-order model well. Thermodynamic data from the adsorption experiments indicate that adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic. HKUST-1@H3PW12O40 can selectively adsorb U(VI) from multi-metal ion solutions and the adsorption capacity of HKUST-1@H3PW12O40 don’t decrease significantly after three cycles of desorption-reuse. The results show that HKUST-1@H3PW12O40 is suitable for removal of U(VI) from low concentration solutions.

Up-regulation of calreticulin in mouse liver tissues after long-term irradiation with low-dose-rate gamma rays

The biological effects of low-dose or low-dose-rate ionizing radiation on normal tissues has attracted attention. Based on previous research, we observed the morphology of liver tissues of C57BL/6J mice that received <50, 50–500, and 500–1000 μGy/h of 137Cs radiation for 180 d. We found that the pathological changes in liver tissues were more obvious as the irradiation dose rates increased. Additionally, differential protein expression in liver tissues was analyzed using a proteomics approach. Compared with the matched group in the 2D gel analysis of the irradiated groups, 69 proteins had ≥ 1.5-fold changes in expression. Twenty-three proteins were selected based on ≥2.5-fold change in expression, and 22 of them were meaningful for bioinformatics and protein fingerprinting analysis. These molecules were relevant to cytoskeleton processes, cell metabolism, biological defense, mitochondrial damage, detoxification and tumorigenesis. The results from real-time PCR and western blot (WB) analyses showed that calreticulin (CRT) was up-regulated in the irradiated groups, which indicates that CRT may be relevant to stress reactions when mouse livers are exposed to low-dose irradiation and that low-dose-rate ionizing radiation may pose a cancer risk. The CRT protein can be a potential candidate for low-dose or low-dose-rate ionizing radiation early-warning biomarkers. However, the underlying mechanism requires further investigation.

Proteomics analysis of liver tissues from C57BL/6J mice receiving low-dose 137Cs radiation.

Differentially expressed proteins in liver tissues of C57BL/6J mice receiving low-dose 137Cs radiation were examined by proteomics analysis. Compared with the control group, 80 proteins were differentially expressed in the irradiated group. Among the 40 randomly selected proteins used for peptide mass fingerprinting analysis and bioinformatics, 24 were meaningful. These proteins were related to antioxidant defense, amino acid metabolism, detoxification, anti-tumor development, amino acid transport, anti-peroxidation, and composition of respiratory chain. Western blot analysis showed that catalase (CAT), glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT), and glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) were up-regulated in the irradiated group; these results were in agreement with qPCR results. These results show that CAT, GNMT, and GSTP1 may be related to stress response induced by low-dose irradiation in mice liver. The underlying mechanism however requires further investigation.

Effect of bicarbonate on aging and reactivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) toward uranium removal

Bicarbonate, ubiquitous in natural and waste waters is an important factor regulating the rate and efficiency of pollutant separation and transformation. For example, it can form complexes with U(VI) in the aqueous phase and at the solid-water interface. In this work, we investigated the effect of bicarbonate on the aging of nanoscale zero-valent (nZVI) in the context of U(VI) reduction and removal from wastewater. For fresh nZVI, over 99% aqueous uranium was separated in less than 10 min, of which 83% was reduced from U(VI) to U(IV). When nZVI was aged in water, its activity for U(VI) sequestration and reduction was significantly reduced. Batch experiments showed that for nZVI aged in the presence of 10 mM bicarbonate, only 20.3% uranium was reduced to U(IV) after 6 h reactions. Characterizations of the iron nanoparticles with spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-STEM) suggest that in fresh nZVI, uranium was concentrated at the nanoparticle center; whereas in nZVI aged in bicarbonate, uranium was largely deposited on the outer surface of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, aged nZVI without bicarbonate contained more lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) while aged nZVI in the presence of bicarbonate had more magnetite/maghemite (Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3). This could be attributed to the formation of carbonate green rust and pH buffer effect of . Primary mechanisms for U(VI) removal with nZVI include reduction, sorption and/or precipitation. Results demonstrate that bicarbonate alter the aging products of nZVI, and reduces the separation efficiency and reduction capability for uranium removal.

Adsorption of low concentration of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution by diethylenetriamine functionalized Cycas revoluta leaves

A kind of functional plant composite adsorbent was prepared through diethylenetriamine modifing the Cycas revoluta leaves for low concentration of U(VI) in waste water. The dynamic behavior of the adsorption, the Langmuir and Freundlich equations and the thermodynamic parameters was were also examined in the present study. The experimental results showed that diethylenetriamine functionalized Cycas revoluta leaves used for low concentration of uranium possessed many advantages such as widely raw material sources, simple and economy for preparation, less adsorbent dosage, short balance time, high adsorption efficiency, good chemical and mechanical stability, and can be effective regeneration or reused.

Characterization and uranium bioleaching performance of mixed iron- and sulfur-oxidizers versus iron-oxidizers

In order to develop and apply mixed iron- and sulfur-oxidizers in uranium bioleaching, the characteristics of a mixed iron- and sulfur-oxidizing consortium (Consortium ISO) were comparatively investigated versus an iron-oxidizing consortium (Consortium IO). The results showed, the Consortium ISO exerted stronger oxidative ability and acid-producing ability than Consortium IO did. The synergy of sulfur-oxidizers and iron-oxidizers could change the structure and properties of the passivation substance, and work positively for eliminating the accumulation of passivation substance. In the bioleaching process, the uranium bioleaching experiments showed the recovery percentage of uranium reached 99.5% with Consortium ISO, 6.3% more than that of Consortium IO.

A universal laboratory method for determining physical parameters of radon migration in dry granulated porous media

The particle size and heaped methods of exhalation media have important effects on physical parameters, such as the free radon production rate, porosity, permeability, and radon diffusion coefficient. However, existing methods for determining those parameters are too complex, and time-consuming. In this study, a novel, systematic determining method was proposed based on nuclide decay, radon diffusion migration theory, and the mass conservation law, and an associated experimental device was designed and manufactured. The parameters of uranium ore heap and sandy soil of radon diffusion coefficient (D), free radon production rate (α), media permeability (k), and porosity (ε) were obtained. At the same time, the practicality of the novel determining method was improved over other methods, with the results showing that accuracy was within the acceptable range of experimental error. This novel method will be of significance for the study of radon migration and exhalation in granulated porous media.