Elimination of natural uranium and (226)Ra from contaminated waters by rhizofiltration using Helianthus annuus L.
Sci Total Environ
; 393(2-3): 351-7, 2008 Apr 15.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18272206
ABSTRACT
The elimination of natural uranium and (226)Ra from contaminated waters by rhizofiltration was tested using Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) seedlings growing in a hydroponic medium. Different experiments were designed to determine the optimum age of the seedlings for the remediation process, and also to study the principal way in which the radionuclides are removed from the solution by the sunflower roots. In every trial a precipitate appeared which contained a major fraction of the natural uranium and (226)Ra. The results indicated that the seedlings themselves induced the formation of this precipitate. When four-week-old seedlings were exposed to contaminated water, a period of only 2 days was sufficient to remove the natural uranium and (226)Ra from the solution about 50% of the natural uranium and 70% of the (226)Ra were fixed in the roots, and essentially the rest was found in the precipitate, with only very small percentages fixed in the shoots and left in solution.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Water Pollutants, Radioactive
/
Radium
/
Uranium
/
Helianthus
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Total Environ
Year:
2008
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Spain