Influence of leaching parameters on the biological removal of uranium from coal by a filamentous cyanobacterium
Axenic cultures of the filamentous cyanobacterium LPP OL3 were incubated with samples of uranium-bearing coal from a German mining area. The influence of leaching parameters such as coal concentration, initial biomass, particle size, temperature, and composition of the growth medium on the leaching of uranium from the ore by the cyanobacterial strain was studied. When low pulp densities were applied, the yield of biologically extracted uranium was optimal (reaching 96% at 1% (wt/vol) coal) and all released uranium was found in the culture liquid. Above 10% (wt/vol) coal in the medium, the amount of cell-bound uranium increased. Initial biomass concentration (protein content of the cultures) and particle size were not critical parameters of leaching by LPP OL3. However, temperature and composition of the growth medium profoundly influenced the leaching of uranium and growth of the cyanobacterium. The yield of leached uranium (at 10% (wt/vol) coal) could not be raised with a tank leaching apparatus. Also, coal ashes were not suitable substrates for the leaching of uranium by LPP OL3. In conclusion, the reactions of the cyanobacterium to variations in leaching parameters were different from reactions of acidic leaching organisms.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Oldenburg, West Germany
- OSTI ID:
- 5723291
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 50:5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
COAL
DECONTAMINATION
URANIUM
LEACHING
ASHES
CYANOBACTERIA
METABOLISM
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
PARTICLE SIZE
REMOVAL
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
ACTINIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CLEANING
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
RADIOACTIVITY
RESIDUES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIZE
010500* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Products & By-Products
560174 - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)
050400 - Nuclear Fuels- Feed Processing