Treatment of tissue paper containing radioactive waste and electrochemical recovery of valuables using ionic liquids

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 1911 - 1919
• Main Authors: Rao, Ch. Jagadeeswara, Venkatesan, K.A., Nagarajan, K., Srinivasan, T.G., Rao, P.R. Vasudeva
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 31.12.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride; Applied sciences; Cellulose; Chemistry; Electrochemistry; Electrodeposition; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Palladium; Pollution; Radioactive wastes; Room temperature ionic liquid; Study of interfaces; Tissue paper waste; Uranium; Wastes; Tissue paper waste; Palladium; Uranium; 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride; Room temperature ionic liquid; Cellulose; Solvent effect; Uranium Oxides; Waste treatment; Ionic liquid; Surface structure; Electrodes; Tissue; Methyl sulfoxide; Electrodeposition; Electrochemical reaction; l-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride; Platinoid; Radioactive waste; Scanning electron microscopy; Uranium VI Compounds; Transition metal; Carbon; Dissolution; Organic solvent; Actinide Compounds; Morphology; Paper; Palladium II Compounds; Room temperature; Glassy state
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2007.08.043

Dissolution of tissue paper waste containing valuable contaminants such as uranium and palladium in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (bmimCl) has been studied. Dissolution of 5–7 wt.% tissue paper in bmimCl is complete within 60 min at 373 K and the time required for dissolution increases with increase of loading. It is difficult to dissolve more than 10 wt.% tissue paper in bmimCl and the limiting solubility of tissue paper is 15–17 wt.% at 373 K. Uranium(VI) and Pd(II) in chloride/nitrate form dissolve in bmimCl along with tissue paper. The electrochemical behaviour of uranium(VI) and palladium(II) in the resultant solution in the presence and absence of a co-solvent, DMSO, has been investigated by transient voltammetric techniques at glassy carbon working electrode and the diffusion coefficients have been determined. Electrolysis of a solution of uranium(VI) and palladium(II) loaded tissue paper in bmimCl results in deposition of uranium oxide (UO 2) and metallic palladium, respectively, which were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The study established the possibility of dissolving tissue paper and other cellulose based materials containing soluble uranium(VI) and Pd(II) compounds in bmimCl, and their recovery from the resultant solution. Cellulose pulp can be regenerated by adding surplus water after the recovery of valuables and the ionic liquid, bmimCl, can be regenerated for further use by vacuum distillation of DMSO and water.