Galvanic cell-assisted uranium adsorption based on GP-CS@CF electrode

The effective separation and recovery of uranium holds significant strategic importance for the sustainable management of radioactive wastewater. In view of the limitations of traditional adsorption techniques, a novel uranium extraction system was constructed in this study using a coupled electrochemical-adsorption approach. An innovative glyphosate-functionalized chitosan composite electrode (GP-CS@CF) was developed and integrated with a galvanic cell-assisted (GCA) electrochemical system to achieve high-efficiency uranium removal. Experimental results demonstrated that GP-CS@CF exhibited an excellent adsorption capacity, and the GCA method achieved a uranium extraction rate nearly seven times that of traditional physicochemical adsorption methods, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 4860 mg/g. Moreover, GP-CS@CF exhibited excellent anti-interference properties and regeneration ability. Mechanistic analysis suggested that the enhanced uranium removal was attributed to synergistic effects of three pathways: adsorption by GP-CS@CF, electrochemical reduction via the GCA, and O 2 -mediated oxidation. This study offers a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable strategy for uranium extraction, which has significant potential for practical application.