Heap bioleaching of uranium from low-grade granite-type ore by mixed acidophilic microbes

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - We evaluated uranium bioleaching from low-grade, granite-type uranium ore using mixed acidophilic microbes from uranium mine leachate. A 4854-ton...     

Depth-induced deviation of column bioleaching for uranium embedded in granite porphyry by defined mixed acidophilic bacteria

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The bioleaching performance in column reactors from a refractory uranium ore by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans),...     

Optimization of operating parameters and rate of uranium bioleaching from a low-grade ore

In this study the bioleaching of a low-grade uranium ore containing 480 ppm uranium has been reported. The studies involved extraction of uranium using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans derived from the uranium mine samples. The maximum specific growth rate (µ ^max) and doubling time (t _d) were obtained 0.08 h^?1 and 8.66 h, respectively. Parameters such as Fe²⁺ concentration, particle size, temperature and pH were optimized. The effect of pulp density (PD) was also studied. Maximum uranium bio-dissolution of 100 ± 5 % was achieved under the conditions of pH 2.0, 5 % PD and 35 °C in 48 h with the particles of d ₈₀ = 100 μm. The optimum concentration of supplementary Fe²⁺ was dependent to the PD. This value was 0 and 10 g of FeSO₄·7H₂O/l at the PD of 5 and 15 %, respectively. The effects of time, pH and PD on the bioleaching process were studied using central composite design. New rate equation was improved for the uranium leaching rate. The rate of leaching is controlled with the concentrations of ferric and ferrous ions in solution. This study shows that uranium bioleaching may be an important process for the Saghand U mine at Yazd (Iran).     

Bioleaching of low grade uranium ore containing pyrite using A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans

A process of uranium extraction from ore containing 3.1 % pyrite by bacterial leaching was investigated in shaken flasks during 90 days. The highest uranium recovery amounting to 85.1 % was obtained using binary mixture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans that was exceeding results obtained by traditional acid leaching technique up to 27 %. High uranium recovery was founded to be due to the high degree of pyrite dissolution that can be readily achieved by bacterial leaching (up to 98.0 %).     

Microbial dehalogenation of trichlorophenol by a bacterial consortium: characterization and mechanism

Chlorinated aromatic compounds are a class of widely used, toxic and refractory organic pollutants. Most of them are persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Chlorinated phenols are an im-portant subclass of them. Chlorinated phenolic compounds are generated from a number of indus-trial manufacturing processes. They comprise the bulk of the environmental pollutants. Aqueous effluents from many industrial operations, such as polymeric resin production, oil refining, iron-steel, petroleum, pestic…     

Determination of uranium using a flow system with reagent injection. Application to the determination of uranium in ore leachates

The determination of uranium by a flow system with reagent injection is based on the reaction of U(IV) with Arsenazo III in 3.6 M HCl; U(IV) is generated by reduction of uranyl ion in a lead reductor minicolumn installed in the sample channel of the manifold. The interference effect caused by several ions is studied. The calibration graph is linear up to 1.0 × 10^?5 M (2.4 mg l^?1) and the detection limit is 2.8 × 10^?8 M (6.6 μg l^?1). The modification of the manifold by including a second valve to by-pass the reducing column allows the measurement of the difference in peak heights, which makes the method specific for uranium.     

In vitro dissolution study of uranium dioxide and uranium ore with different particle sizes in simulated lung fluid

Inhalation is one of the most important routes for aerosol particles of uranium compounds to enter the body. The main step for uranium to be available for blood circulation and for interaction with bio-molecules is the dissolution of the particles. Particle size effects on dissolution of uranium dioxide and uranium ore were studied in simulated lung fluid using the “batch/filter” method. Samples were fractionated to ten size ranges from <0.43 μm to >10 μm by cascade impaction prior to dissolution experiments. Dependence of dissolution kinetics on particle size and on the amount of uranium trioxide contained in the particles was observed.     

激光诱导击穿光谱对U元素的定量分析

铀矿是核领域最重要的矿产资源之一,快速、有效勘探铀矿资源能促进核领域平稳、健康发展。激光诱导击穿光谱(LIBS)技术具备多目标元素现场快速检测的优点,能实现铀矿资源准确、快速的现场分析。本工作基于LIBS技术对铀矿中U元素进行了定量分析,对比了偏最小二乘(PLS)和随机森林(RF)两种机器学习算法的定量效果。结果显示,RF模型的定量线性相关系数为0.996,对三个验证集的相对误差分别是22.33%、12.79%和12.04%;PLS模型的定量线性相关系数为0.997,对三个验证集的相对误差分别是4.33%、6.63%和6.85%。对比结果表明,本研究中的PLS模型定量准确度更高,同RF算法相比,PLS算法更适用于铀矿中U的LIBS定量分析。     

Leaching of El-Missikat low-grade fluoritized uranium ore by sulfuric acid: mechanism and kinetic

A well-characterized low-grade fluoritized uranium samples from new occurrence in Gabal El-Missikat prospect, Eastern Desert, Egypt was subjected to sulfuric acid leaching. The effects of leaching parameters on uranium dissolution mechanism were investigated. The shrinking core model was used to model leaching reactions. The kinetics equations indicates that the reactions appear to be controlled by layer diffusion process. The activation energy for uranium dissolution was evaluated. Low activation energy value (2.54 kJ mol⁻¹) confirm the diffusion layer mechanism. The presence of fluoride ions in the solution increases the dissolution of uranium. The optimum process operating parameters were: sulfuric acid concentration: 1.5 M, solid–liquid ratio: 1:3, contact time 8 h; agitation speed rate 200 rpm; and ore particle size − 75 µm at temperature 60 °C, in the absence of an external oxidant. Under these experimental conditions, the extraction efficiency of uranium was about 91%.

     

Enhanced specificity of bacterial spore identification by oxidation and mass spectrometry

Addition of an oxidizing agent (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) to intact spores selectively and completely oxidizes Met-containing biomarker proteins by formation of Met sulfoxides. This reaction increases the masses of the biomarker proteins observed in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) of Bacillus spores by Deltam = (16 x n) Da, where n is the number of Met residues in the sequence of each individual protein. The procedure is very rapid, and can be performed in situ (i.e., on the MALDI target). It confirms the identity of individual biomarkers by comparing the number of Met amino acids from the experimentally determined mass shifts with predictions for n from the tentative amino acid sequence for each protein. In turn, accurate determination of n for several biomarkers allows rapid validation of the initial spore identification by MALDI-MS.     

Coordination of uranium(VI) with functional groups of bacterial lipopolysaccharide studied by EXAFS and FT-IR spectroscopy

The complexation of uranyl ions with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the main component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, was investigated on a molecular level with U L(III)-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopy over a wide pH range (2.6 to 7.0). For the first time, structural determinations of uranyl complexes with cell wall compounds were extended from acidic up to neutral pH. The main functionalities responsible for uranyl binding are phosphoryl and carboxyl groups. At an excess of LPS, related to environmental conditions, the uranyl ion is mainly complexed by phosphoryl groups four-fold monodentately coordinated in the equatorial plane of the uranyl dioxo cation UO(2)(2+) showing great homologies to the uranyl mineral phase meta-autunite in the EXAFS spectra. At equimolar ratios of uranyl and functional groups of LPS, according to a slight deficit of phosphoryl groups, additional carboxyl coordination in a bidentate manner becomes important as it is shown by IR spectroscopy. From the vibrational spectra, a mixed coordination of UO(2)(2+) with both phosphoryl and carboxyl groups is derived. The coordination of uranyl ions to the LPS molecule is obviously mainly controlled by the U/LPS concentration ratio, and the influence of pH is only of minor significance at the investigated range.     

Chalcopyrite and pyrite floatabilities in the presence of sodium sulfide and sodium metabisulfite in a high pyritic copper complex ore

One of the principal problems in flotation of copper complex ores is the presence of pyrite and copper-activated pyrite in moderately alkaline pHs. Misreported pyrite into copper concentrates dramatically declines copper grade and its recovery. In this study, the effect of sodium sulfide, sodium metabisulfite (SMBS), and their dosages (100, 200, 300, and 400 g/t) were investigated on chalcopyrite and pyrite floatabilities in a high pyritic copper sulfide ore. Furthermore, the role of particle size distribution (PSD) in three different levels (i.e., d₇₀, d₇₅, and d₈₀ of passing 75 µm) was evaluated by a series of batch flotation experiments. It was revealed that using 200 g/t SMBS provides not only the highest and the lowest chalcopyrite and pyrite recoveries, but also the maximum and minimum copper and iron grades. Pyrite recovery was sharply increased by the addition of sodium sulfide in light of sodium sulfide-induced collectorless flotation; however, it showed a very weak effect on chalcopyrite floatability. In addition, the highest and lowest chalcopyrite and pyrite recoveries were, respectively, identified when d₇₅ equaled to 70% 75 µm. In other words, for the high pyritic copper ore type, it is feasible to achieve the highest chalcopyrite recovery consuming the lowest grinding energy.     

Extraction of uranium from simulated ore by the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction method with nitric acid-TBP complex.

The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method using CO(2) as a medium with an extractant of HNO(3)-tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) complex was applied to extract uranium from several uranyl phosphate compounds and simulated uranium ores. An extraction method consisting of a static extraction process and a dynamic one was established, and the effects of the experimental conditions, such as pressure, temperature, and extraction time, on the extraction of uranium were ascertained. It was found that uranium could be efficiently extracted from both the uranyl phosphates and simulated ores by the SFE method using CO(2). It was thus demonstrated that the SFE method using CO(2) is useful as a pretreatment method for the analysis of uranium in ores.     

Effects of the presence of pyrite and carbonate minerals on the kinetics of the uranium release from a natural rock

Summary The influence of calcite, dolomite, pyrite and vaterite on the kinetics of uranium release from a natural rock under relevant, i.e., field conditions has been investigated. The time dependence of the U release has been studied in two different experimental procedures (open and closed systems) at laboratory temperature (21±2 °C). Performing batch experiments in tap water, the U release efficiency of a natural U-bearing rock was characterized in the presence of varying amounts of three different carbonate bearing minerals for experimental durations of up to 782 days. Another experiment was conducted for a period of 14 days in the presence of a pyrite mineral. The results demonstrate that the presence of carbonate minerals does not have any significant influence on U release in closed systems where the U concentration at saturation was ca. 54 mg/l. In contrast, in open systems, the U concentration was ca. 8 mg/l at saturation and the effects of all additives both on kinetics and saturation concentration of U were apparent.     

Nitrogen activation and cleavage by a multimetallic uranium complex

Multimetallic-multielectron cooperativity plays a key role in the metal-mediated cleavage of N₂ to nitrides (N³⁻). In particular, low-valent uranium complexes coupled with strong alkali metal reducing agents can lead to N₂ cleavage, but often, it is ambiguous how many electrons are transferred from the uranium centers to cleave N₂. Herein, we designed new dinuclear uranium nitride complexes presenting a combination of electronically diverse ancillary ligands to promote the multielectron transformation of N₂. Two heteroleptic diuranium nitride complexes, [K{U^IV(OSi(O^tBu)₃)(N(SiMe₃)₂)₂}₂(μ-N)] (1) and [Cs{U^IV(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂(N(SiMe₃)₂)}₂(μ-N)] (3-Cs), containing different combinations of OSi(O^tBu)₃ and N(SiMe₃)₂ ancillary ligands, were synthesized. We found that both complexes could be reduced to their U(iii)/U(iv) analogues, and the complex, [K₂{U^IV/III(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂(N(SiMe₃)₂)}₂(μ-N)] (6-K), could be further reduced to a putative U(iii)/U(iii) species that is capable of promoting the 4e⁻ reduction of N₂, yielding the N₂⁴⁻complex [K₃{U^V(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂(N(SiMe₃)₂)}₂(μ-N)(μ-η²:η²-N₂)], 7. Parallel N₂ reduction pathways were also identified, leading to the isolation of N₂ cleavage products, [K₃{U^VI(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂(N(SiMe₃)₂)( N)}(μ-N)₂{U^V(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂(N(SiMe₃)₂)}]₂, 8, and [K₄{(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂U^V)( N)}(μ-NH)(μ-κ²:C,N-CH₂SiMe₂NSiMe₃)-{U^V(OSi(O^tBu)₃)₂][K(N(SiMe₃)₂]₂, 9. These complexes provide the first example of N₂ cleavage to nitride by a uranium complex in the absence of reducing alkali metals.

Combinations of ligands were used to tune U N U complexes yielding a U(iii)/U(iii) nitride, which activates N₂. Parallel N₂ reduction pathways were identified, leading to the first example of N₂ cleavage by U without external alkali reducing agents.     

Effect of perchloroethylene (PCE) on methane and acetate production by a methanogenic consortium

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - The effects of perchloroethylene (PCE) concentration in the range of 0–100 mg/L on methane and acetate production by a methanol-enriched methanogenic...     

Kinetics of uranium adsorption from sulfate medium by a commercial anion exchanger modified with quinoline and silicate

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Noble gas monitoring system is used to measure the volumetric activity of beta particles due to radioactive noble gases—41Ar, 85Kr and...