TiO2 as a cost effective uranium getter for uranium contaminated sites

核能是化石燃料的少数几个有前途的、更清洁的替代品之一，由于能源需求的增加和人们对化石燃料对气候变化的影响的日益关注，预计核能将迅速增长。作为世界上最大的铀生产国和出口国，加拿大将在发展中发挥重要作用。虽然技术发展降低了建造成本，改善了核电站的安全性，但人们越来越关注与铀矿尾矿和处置概念有关的环境和人类健康影响（例如，地质处置库）。基于天然含铀系统中铀与铀的强烈关联，在这里，我们建议使用氧化钛（TiO 2）作为一种新型的、具有成本效益的铀吸气剂，用于铀矿尾矿场、受污染的含水层和高放射性核废料容器。通过现场和实验室实验以及量子化学计算，我们将研究TiO2去除铀的机制和最佳条件。该技术随后将在铀污染场地得到验证。这是一项及时的研究，将大大有助于加拿大的铀经济，保护环境，提高公众对整个铀燃料循环的信心。

Nuclear energy provides one of few promising, cleaner alternatives to fossil fuel, and is expected to grow rapidly due to the increasing demand of energy and the growing concern over the impact of fossil fuel on climate change. As the largest producer and exporter of uranium in the world, Canada will play a major role in the development. Although technological developments have reduced construction costs and improved nuclear power plant safety, there is increasing concern over the environmental and human health impact related to uranium mine tailings and disposal concepts (e.g., geological repositories). Based on the strong association of uranium with anatase in natural uraniferous systems, here we propose to use titanium oxide (TiO2) as a novel, cost-effective uranium getter for uranium mine tailing sites, contaminated aquifers, and high-level nuclear waste containers. By conducting field and laboratory experiments and quantum chemistry calculations, we will investigate the mechanisms and optimal conditions for the uranium removal by TiO2. The technique will then be validated at uranium-contaminated sites. This is a timely research that will contribute significantly to the uranium economy in Canada, to the protection of the environment, and to the improvement of public confidence in the entire uranium fuel cycle.