Researchers at IIT Roorkee have developed an acid-resistant magnetic nanocomposite capable of recovering uranium and rare earth elements (REEs) from contaminated water. The innovative material maintains high performance even under highly acidic conditions, making it particularly suitable for treating mining wastewater and industrial effluents. The breakthrough offers a promising solution for resource recovery while supporting environmental remediation.
Silica Shield Enhances Durability
The research team engineered the nanocomposite with a protective silica coating that shields the active magnetic material from corrosion in acidic environments. As a result, the nanocomposite remains stable and effective even in harsh mining wastewater conditions, where conventional materials often experience rapid degradation.
High Recovery Efficiency Demonstrated
Laboratory tests demonstrated that the nanocomposite can recover up to 370 grams of uranium and rare earth elements per kilogram of nanomaterial, highlighting its high extraction efficiency. Moreover, the material exhibits different recovery characteristics depending on the water chemistry. Under near-neutral pH conditions, it efficiently captures both uranium and rare earth elements. However, in highly acidic environments, the nanocomposite becomes more selective for uranium recovery, enhancing its suitability for targeted extraction applications.
Potential for Mining and Environmental Applications
The newly developed nanocomposite has significant potential for applications in mining wastewater treatment, resource recovery, and environmental cleanup. By enabling the efficient extraction of valuable metals from contaminated water, the technology could help improve the sustainability of mining operations while reducing environmental impact.
Research Supported by the Department of Atomic Energy
The project received funding from the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS) under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). As reported by discoveryalert.com, the research underscores the growing role of advanced nanomaterials in developing innovative technologies for nuclear resource recovery and sustainable environmental management.
