BIOSORPTION OF URANIUM IN A CONTINUOUS FLOW PACKED BED COLUMN USING CYSTOSEIRA INDICA BIOMASS

Uranium(ii) biosorption from aqueous solution by cystoseira indica biomass was studied in a packed bed column. the uptake capacity of uranium was investigated by natural and different pretreated biomasses. results showed 0.1 m cacl2 solution at phs 4, used as pretreatment, increased the uptake capacity more than 30% (371.39 mg/g). cations concentration measurement in the effluent solution, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray fluorescence analyses on biosorbents proved that ion exchange is the main biosorption mechanism. the elution efficiency for uranium desorption was determined for various chemical agents in a batch system. among these eluants, 0.1 m hcl exhibited elution efficiency greater than 78%. also, biomass regeneration by 0.1 m hcl was studied in a continuous system. the obtained results confirmed that reusability of this biomass is conceivable. thus, cystoseira indica can be used in the packed bed column as a potential biosorbent for treatment of uranium polluted aqueous solutions.