The rise of nuclear power plants to meet escalating global energy needs has made environmental pollution including the contamination of uranium due to improper disposal of radioactive wastewater during uranium milling and mining processes. Adsorption, a water purification method known for its fast kinetics, high selectivity, and ease of use, has emerged as a popular choice for the treatment of radioactive wastewater. In response to the critical need for the purification of radioactive wastewater contaminated with U(VI), this review provides a comprehensive summary of the various types of materials, synthetic methods, and adsorption mechanisms used for the purification process. The materials are categorized into four main groups: organic, inorganic, composite/nanomaterials, and framework materials. To enhance the adsorption capacity for U(VI), researchers have explored physical and chemical modifications as well as the development of organic-inorganic hybrids. The improved adsorption performance resulting from these modifications is mostly attributed to electrostatic interaction, surface complexation, and ion exchange mechanisms. However, despite the present understanding of the processes involved, further research is still needed to fully determine the optimal approach for purifying contaminated radioactive wastewater.

90Sr is considered a hazardous radionuclide due to its long half-life of 28.8 years, radiotoxicity, and potential to bioaccumulate in various organisms. In the environment, strontium typically exists as divalent cation Sr2+ or in different complexes, depending on the environmental physical and chemical factors. Despite its mobility, Sr2+ transport remains affected by adsorption from solid phases, such as soil and sediments. This research aimed to investigate the efficiency of a magnetic flocculant (MNP/IF) in separating suspended soil and Sr2+ from a soil suspension. MNP/IF was prepared via the electrostatic interaction between magnetite particles and an inorganic flocculant (IF) composed of CaCO3 and Na2SO4. Analysis of the physical properties of MNP/IF confirmed that MNP/IF was successfully imparted with magnetism and had excellent adsorption capacity for Sr2+. The optimal MNP/IF dosage for the sedimentation of suspended soil was determined to be 0.3 g/g (mass ratio of flocculant to soil). The lower the pH, the more favorable the flocculation-sedimentation process of the suspended soil by MNP/IF, since Ca2+ and Mg2+, which are the most common strong flocculators, were further eluted from IF under acidic conditions. Besides, MNP/IF exhibited outstanding removal performance for Sr2+, with maximum adsorption capacities of 163.6 mg/g observed during the flocculation-sedimentation reaction of suspended soil. The adsorption of Sr2+ exhibited consistency with the Langmuir model and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. These findings suggest that MNP/IF can be used for the simultaneous removal of suspended soil particles and Sr2+ from a radioactive soil suspension.

This study aimed to remove uranium (U(VI)) ions from sulfate-based acidic soil-washing effluent using the ion-exchange method. For effective ion exchange of U(VI) ions under acidic conditions, one chelate resin (Purolite S950) stable under low pH conditions and two anion-exchange resins (Ambersep 400 SO4 and 920U SO4) used in sulfuric acid leaching systems were selected. The exchange performance of the three selected ion-exchange resins for U(VI) ions was evaluated under various experimental conditions, including ion-exchange resin dosages, pH conditions, reaction times, and reaction temperatures. U(VI) ion exchange was consistent with the Langmuir model and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Thermodynamic experiments revealed that the U(VI) ion exchange by the ion-exchange resins is an endothermic and spontaneous process. On the other hand, U(VI) ions was effectively desorbed from the ion-exchange resins using 0.5 M H2SO4 or Na2CO3 solution. Overall, on the basis of the results of the present study, we propose that Purolite S950, Ambersep 400 SO4, and Ambersep 920U SO4 are ion-exchange resins that can be practically applied to effectively remove U(VI) ions from sulfate-based acidic soil-washing effluents.

The purpose of this study was to effectively purify U-contaminated soil-washing effluent using a precipitation/distillation process, reuse the purified water, and self-dispose of the generated solid. The U ions in the effluent were easily removed as sediments by neutralization, and the metal sediments and suspended soils were flocculated–precipitated by polyacrylamide (PAM). The precipitate generated through the flocculation–precipitation process was completely separated into solid–liquid phases by membrane filtration (pore size < 45 μm), and Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions remaining in the effluent were removed by distillation. Even if neutralized or distilled effluent was reused for soil washing, soil decontamination performance was maintained. PAM, an organic component of the filter cake, was successfully removed by thermal decomposition without loss of metal deposits including U. The uranium concentration of the residual solids after distillation is confirmed to be less than 1 Bq·g−1, so it is expected that the self-disposal of the residual solids is possible. Therefore, the treatment method of U-contaminated soil-washing effluent using the precipitation/distillation process presented in this study can be used to effectively treat the washing waste of U-contaminated soil and self-dispose of the generated solids.

In this study, plant regeneration through in vitro culture from plantlet stems of Yooja (C. junos Sieb.) and trifoliate orange (P. trifoliata Rafin.) was attempted to make mass-production system of virus-free plants having the same genotype with mother plant. In order to investigate physiological change depending on the developmental stage of plant regeneration, the changes of total protein, peroxidase and esterase activity and their isozyme patterns as well were examined in 1/2 MS medium. The results are as follows : 1. The MS medium for the optimal callus induction and shoot formation was utilized. The medium was supplemented either with 2,4-D and Kinetin or with BA and NAA. The optimal concentrations were the combination of 1.0mg/ 2,4-D +0.3mg/ Kinetin and 1.0mg BA +0.3mg NAA in callus induction and shoot formation, respectively. 2. For the plant regeneration from somatic embryos, 1/2 MS medium was used with supplements of growth regulators (free, 1.0mg/ IBA +1.0mg/ BA ,0.5mg/ IBA +0.5mg/ BA). Shooting and rooting were the best in the treatment of 0.5mg/ IBA and 0.5mg/ BA combination. 3. The total protein content has a tendency of increase with the developmental stage of embryo, but it was decreased at the plantlet. Also it was the highest at 8 and 6 weeks stage in C. junos Sieb. and P. trioliata Rafin, respectively. In the SDS-PAGE pattern of protein, C. junos Sieb. showed bands of 29.0 and 40kDa at 10 weeks. The 45,66 and 97.4 kDa bands at 10 weeks of culture were shown in P. trifoliata Rafin. 4. The highest esterase activity was shown at the 6 and 8 weeks of culture in C.junos Sieb. and P. trifoliata Rafin.., respectively. 5. Esterase isozyme patterns were shown difference according to the developmental stage. In C. junos Sieb. a new band was observed at pl 7.7 following 4 weeks culture. On the other hand, new bands in P. trifoliata Rafin. were observed at pl 7.5~6.5 following 4 and 6 weeks culture, respectively.