Removal of uranium and other metals from wastewaters using calcium alginate and bacteria immobilized in calcium alginate
- Bureau of Mines, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
Calcium alginate beads, containing immobilized bacteria, removed turanium and other metals from mine wastewaters. Batch tests using 2% calcium alginate beads with and without immobilized bacteria showed both were effective at removing uranium. Beads containing live and dead cells removed essentially the same amount of uranium and removed significantly more uranium than beads without bacteria. The bacteria-alginate system was used to treat waters containing 24.5 mg/L uranium and produced effluents containing 1.0 mg/L uranium in 1 hr and <0.1 mg/L uranium in 24 hr. Calcium alginate beads, with and without immobilized bacteria, also removed arsenic, selenium, and other metals from wastewaters. Bacteria investigated for immobilization in the alginate beads include Bacillus and Pseudomonas sp. A spray technique using an air nozzle has been tested to disperse the alginate into mine wastewater eliminating the bead-making process. Ninety-nine percent of the uranium was removed in less than 15 min contact.
- OSTI ID:
- 214836
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950801--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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