Uranium biosorption by Lemna sp. and Pistia stratiotes

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Biosorption technologies are explored for radionuclide removal from radioactive liquid waste.
• The phytoremediation potential of aquatic macrophytes for uranium removal is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the uranium biosorption capacity of nonliving Lemna sp. and Pistia stratiotes.
• To assess the feasibility of using these macrophytes for radioactive liquid waste treatment.

Main Methods:

• Equilibrium and kinetics experiments were conducted using synthetic and real radioactive waste solutions.
• Uranium concentration was measured in macrophytes exposed to varying uranium levels.
• Biosorption capacity was determined for Lemna sp. and Pistia stratiotes.

Main Results:

• Lemna sp. exhibited a higher sorption capacity (0.68 mmol/g) in synthetic solutions compared to Pistia stratiotes.
• Lemna sp. successfully adsorbed 9.24 × 10⁻³ mmol/g of uranium from actual waste solution.
• Equilibrium for uranium biosorption was reached within 1 hour for both species.

Conclusions:

• Lemna sp. and Pistia stratiotes show promise as cost-effective biosorbents for uranium removal.
• Lemna sp. is particularly effective for treating radioactive liquid waste containing uranium.
• Further research can optimize these biosorbents for industrial radioactive waste management.