Work

Bisphosphonate functionalized biogenic nanostructured silicon carbide for uranium and scandium recovery

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A large amount of metal-contaminated wastewater is being produced as a result of anthropogenic activities such as ore processing and mining. The extraction and recovery of metals from sources like waste streams and leached ore solutions address not only environmental concerns but also offer economic benefits by reducing reliance on primary ores. Metals such as uranium (U) and scandium (Sc) are especially critical due to their applications in energy production and high-performance materials. The toxic nature of these metals makes their removal essential to safeguard human health and the environment. Adsorption is a commonly used approach for extraction and decontamination of effluent containing low concentrations of metals such as U and Sc. Nevertheless, most adsorbents degrade after only a few adsorption/desorption cycles and are inadequate in the selective removal of metals. In the present study, the magnesiothermic reduction involving self-propagating high-temperature synthesis was selected to produce nanostructured silicon carbide (nSiC) from agricultural residue, i.e., barley husk. The nSiC was then conjugated with bisphosphonate, which act as a metal chelator for the extraction of U and Sc from tailing effluent and leached ore solutions, respectively. The BP-nSiC exhibited the adsorption capacity of 58.76 µmol/g and 48.07 µmol/g for U and Sc, respectively, at pH 1. The BP-nSiC reusability potential was tested in a flow-through setup showing good stability to withstand at least 20 consecutive cycles without a significant drop in adsorption capacity. The BP-nSiC was thus capable of recovering U and Sc, indicating that the adsorbent could be used to recover metals effectively.

Source: Chemosphere

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144404