Uranium enrichment using microorganisms
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsKenneth R. Czerwinski, Martin F. Polz
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods for separating isotopes of actinide elements such as uranium using microorganisms, e.g., metal or sulfate reducing bacteria. The microorganisms reduce the actinide element to form a precipitate, which contains a greater proportion of the lighter isotope relative to the heavier isotope than the starting material. The precipitate may be collected, re-oxidized, and subjected to multiple rounds of enrichment. Alternately, separation processes not requiring formation of a precipitate may be used. The invention also features cell-free systems for isotope separation. The invention further provides compositions produced according to the foregoing methods, including compositions comprising enriched uraninite.
Claims85
A method for enriching an isotopes of an actinide element comprising steps of:
- (a) providing a composition comprising a first isotope and a second isotope of the actinide element;
- and
- (b) contacting the composition with microorganisms that have reducing activity of the actinide element, wherein the microorganisms preferentially reduce the second isotope of the actinide element and thereby allowing formation of a second composition comprising reduced actinide element containing a higher proportion of the second isotope relative to the first isotope than was present in the original composition, thereby enriching the second isotope of the actinide element.
A method for enriching an isotope of an actinide element comprising steps of:
- (a) providing a composition comprising a first isotope and a second isotope of the actinide element;
- and
- (b) incubating the composition with an actinide reducing enzyme obtained from microorganism that has reducing activity of the actinide element, thereby forming a second composition comprising the reduced actinide element containing a higher proportion of the second isotope relative to the first isotope than was present in the original composition, thereby enriching the second isotope of the actinide element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.