Vidula Priyadarshana Lokugama Widanelage
Graduate Student, PhD
Mentor:
Dr. Raina M Maier
Department:
Environmental Science
Abstract:
Innovative Remediation of Uranium-Contaminated Groundwater: A Study on Selective Recovery Using Bioinspired Glycolipid Surfactants
Vidula Lokugama 1, Raina M. Maier 1, Timothy M. Dittrich 2, and David E. Hogan 1
1 Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
2 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, 7 MI 48202, USA
Introduction
Groundwater contamination with uranium, exceeding the drinking water standard (30 ug/L), arises from natural sources and mining activities. Various methods for remediation have been developed, each with pros and cons regarding operation, cost, and waste production. Here, we introduce a novel approach using a resin functionalized with bioinspired glycolipid surfactants. These glycolipids are highly selective for uranium, environmentally friendly, and reusable. Previous studies have shown their selective binding with uranium. We propose a method for recovering and concentrating uranium from diluted groundwater samples using a hydrophobically bound glycolipid on a resin.
Methods
Two resins, divinylbenzene (Amberlite) and organosilica (Osorb), were investigated, each functionalized with a galactolipid known for its uranium selectivity. Adsorption kinetics were analyzed in experiments using 1.5 mL plastic centrifuge tubes containing 30 mg of resin and 1.5 mL of uranium solution (25 mg/L) at pH 6. After shaking and incubation, tubes were centrifuged to separate resin from supernatant, and uranium concentration was measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).
Results
Experimental results using a galactolipid-functionalized organosilica showed 55% uranium removal within 5 minutes, with 70% recovery after 20 minutes. Control experiments yielded removal rates ranging from 8% to 20%.
Conclusions
Glycolipid-functionalized resins show promise for uranium recovery from contaminated water. Future efforts will focus on optimizing kinetics and developing methods for glycolipid reuse.
Reference:
Hogan, D.E., Dardona M., Graves, K., Tummala, C., Praneeth, S., Boxley, C., Maier, R.M., and Dittrich, T.M. In review. Glycolipid functionalized media for the sorption and recovery of critical materials. Separation and Purification Technology.
