A new method for synthesis of uranium oxide microspheres (diameter <100 μm) has been developed. It is a variant of our patented Complex Sol-Gel Process, which has been used to synthesize high-quality powders of a wide variety of complex oxides. Starting uranyl-nitrate-ascorbate sols were prepared by addition of ascorbic acid to uranyl nitrate hexahydrate solution and alkalizing by aqueous ammon...

We examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WFP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell Surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uran y] nitrate, was removed from sol...

Phosphogypsum (CaSO4·2H2O, PG) waste is produced in large amounts during phosphoric acid (H3PO4) production. Minor quantities are utilized in construction or agriculture, while most of the material is stockpiled, creating an environmental challenge to prevent pollution of natural waters. In principle, the gypsum waste could be used to capture several hundred megatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). ...

Employing the widely used ammonium carbonate diffusion method, we demonstrate that altering an extrinsic parameter—desiccator size—which is rarely detailed in publications, can alter the route of crystallization. Hexagonally packed assemblies of spherical magnesium-calcium carbonate particles or spherulitic aragonitic particles can be selectively prepared from the same initial reaction solution...

Soybean cell suspension cultures grew on defined media with ammonium as the sole nitrogen source if Krebs cycle acids were added. Satisfactory growth was obtained with ammonium salts of citrate, malate, fumarate, or succinate, when compared with the regular medium containing nitrate and ammonium. Little or no growth occurred when ammonium salts of shikimate, tartrate, acetate, carbonate, or sul...