Exploring the Potential of Metatorbernite in Uranium Remediation | Dr Caroline Kirk
Original Article Reference
This SciPod is a summary of the paper ‘Locating hydrogen positions in the autunite mineral metatorbernite [Cu(UO2)2(PO4)28H2O]: a combined approach using neutron powder diffraction and computational modelling’ from the International Union of Crystallography Journal, doi.org/10.1107/S205225252100837X.
About this episode
Although nuclear power is a clean alternative to fossil fuel combustion, this industry often causes uranium pollution in the local environment. The generation of metatorbernite, a solid material containing uranium, is one promising way to remove dissolved uranium atoms from industrial wastewater. However, before this remediation technology can be widely applied, we need a deeper understanding of the properties of metatorbernite, such as its long-term stability, to ensure that uranium will not be re-released from its structure. Dr Caroline Kirk, Ms Fi MacIver-Jones and their colleagues at the University of Edinburgh have been working to establish the structure and stability of this material, so that it can be applied for uranium remediation in the near future.
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