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Uranyl Reactions With Dithionite, L-Ascorbic Acid, And Supported Nanosized Zero-Valent Iron, Shanna Estes

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This work examined several reductants for remediation of low pH aqueous uranium contamination by reductive precipitation. Reductants included sodium dithionite, L-ascorbic acid, and nanosized zero-valent iron (nZVI). Additionally, the reductive capacity of nZVI successfully entrapped within a silicate matrix (cryogel) was also examined. This supported nZVI is expected to increase nZVI stability in the subsurface, and to provide a convenient in situ delivery mechanism for other remediation systems which may combine entrapped reductant and catalyst.
Fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopy were used to investigate the interaction between hexavalent uranium (U(VI), uranyl) and both sodium dithionite and L-ascorbic acid at pH 2. …