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Photo-Catalytic Reduction of Destructive U(VI) from Uranium-Defiled Wastewater: an Overview

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Groundwater is frequently utilised as the source of consuming water throughout the entire globe. Hence, the defilement of this groundwater by noxious radioactive metals like Uranium (VI) which are produced from the expansion in thermal energy stations, radio-nuclear plants as well as their releasing by-product materials, which are delivered into the conduits and waterways is a pressing issue. The noxious as well as deadly Uranium (VI) is viewed as a toxic by-product related to the course of enrichment process used to create atomic energy, and also the risk factor associated with it is caused by the radioactivity, carcinogenicity and toxicity of uranium. Numerous strategies have been proposed to manage these issues, yet photocatalytic degradation stands apart as a simple, cost-effective, and efficient process that has acquired huge consideration as of late in spite of specific constraints concerning its functional and operational applications. The various photocatalytic reagents and their applications for removing uranium (VI) from radioactive wastewater are summed up in this review. Graphical Abstract
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Water Air Soil Pollut (2024) 235:279
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-024-07077-6
Photo‑Catalytic Reduction ofDestructive U(VI)
fromUranium‑Defiled Wastewater: anOverview
S.GopalKrishnaPatro· AmrutashreeHota·
AyodejiOlalekanSalau
Received: 15 December 2023 / Accepted: 1 April 2024 / Published online: 23 April 2024
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024
Abstract Groundwater is frequently utilised as
the source of consuming water throughout the entire
globe. Hence, the defilement of this groundwater by
noxious radioactive metals like Uranium (VI) which
are produced from theexpansion in thermal energy
stations, radio-nuclear plants as well as their releas-
ing by-product materials, which are delivered into
the conduits and waterways is apressing issue. The
noxious as well as deadly Uranium (VI) is viewed
as a toxic by-product related to the course of enrich-
ment process used to create atomic energy, and also
the risk factor associated with it is caused by the
radioactivity, carcinogenicity and toxicity of uranium.
Numerous strategies have been proposedto manage
these issues, yet photocatalytic degradation stands
apart as a simple, cost-effective, and efficient process
that has acquired huge consideration as of late in spite
of specific constraints concerning its functional and
operational applications. The various photocatalytic
reagents and their applications for removing uranium
(VI) from radioactive wastewater are summed up in
this review.
Keywords Uranium· Photo-catalysis·
Degradation· Wastewater· U(VI)· Reduction
Abbreviations
AC Activated carbon
CCC Critical coagulation concentrations
CMP Conjugated microporous polymers
CP Conducting polymers
DBP Disinfecting by-products
FMR Feed molar ratio
PPCP Pharmaceutical drugs and personal care
product
RO Reverse osmosis
UV-VIS Ultra-violet visible
WT Wastewater treatment
WHO World Health Organization
1 Introduction
The most active naturally occurring resource influ-
encing the development of the ecological system and
S.G.K.Patro
School ofTechnology, Woxsen University, Hyderabad,
Telangana, India
e-mail: sgkpatro2008@gmail.com
A.Hota
Amrutashree Hota, Department ofChemistry, GIET
University, Gunupur, Odisha, India
e-mail: jincy.8128@gmail.com
A.O.Salau
Department ofElectrical/Electronics andComputer
Engineering, Afe Babalola University, Aye, Nigeria
A.O.Salau(*)
Saveetha School ofEngineering, Saveetha Institute
ofMedical andTechnical Sciences, Chennai, TamilNadu,
India
e-mail: ayodejisalau98@gmail.com
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