Efficient three-step strategy for reduction recovery of high purity uranium oxide from nuclear wastewater

Resource utilization of uranium from the nuclear wastewater is of significance, and the facile strategy to recover high purity uranium oxide directly from wastewater is urgent to develop. Herein, a three-step uranium oxide reduction recovery process (URRP), that is integrated solid–liquid separation (SLS) and electrochemical purification (EP) together with solid-phase uranium re-recovery (SUR), is designed and applied for uranium reduction and purification. The SEM and ICP results were used to determine the carbonate system as the optimal separation system and the Ti electrode as the optimal electrochemical purification electrode. The single electron transfer process of uranyl ions in carbonate was established using cyclic voltammetry. Such three-step recovery process achieves a high-efficient recovery of uranium with a purity of over 99.9% in complex wastewater systems, and an improved return rate of uranium as high as 98.6%. Furthermore, the concentration of metal ions in wastewater is reduced to the standard set by the World Health Organization. Such a URRP offers a very promising solution for the treatment of wastewater and the recovery of high purity uranium.