Rajkot: Globally, nuclear energy is considered the future of clean energy.
However, since the main source of nuclear energy – uranium – limited, scientists around the world work on efficient ways to extract heavy metals from secondary sources.
In the development of a breakthrough, a scientist from Bhavnagar-based CSMCRI (Central Chemical and Chemical Research Institute) Shilpi has developed a method for extracting uranium from secondary sources such as sea water and acid effluent using thin film crystal and nanoring polymers.
Khuswaha was awarded the Award of Young Science (YSA) for innovative research by the Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) (CSIR) during a function held in New Delhi on Sunday.
He was awarded by Venkaha Naidu’s vice president, under the category of Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences.
According to Kushwaha, India requires a sustainable choice for clean energy to attend the Paris Agreement on climate change.
“Energy demand increases from day to day.
It is expected that in the near future nuclear energy demand will increase throughout the world because it is neutral carbon.
However, limited uranium reserves and is expected to run out in more than 100 years,” he said.
Here uranium recovery from secondary sources such as contaminated ground water, waste mining and sea water appears in a picture.
“Uranium extraction from sea water (UES) is among the seven chemical separation processes where progress will lead to global profits.
UES provides additional benefits for any country’s energy security.
It is independent of terrestrial uranium ore that reduces fears of environmental damage from based mining Land, “Khuswaha Toi said.
He added that heavy metals extracted from seawater are equivalent to similar experiments carried out globally.
Deciphering further, scientists say that the secondary sources of uranium include spills from mines, the waste of nuclear power plants or dump fly ash that goes into water sources after being mixed with rainwater and finally ends at sea.
“We have been able to extract uranium from acid effluent and sea water.
In the future, we will try to make it cost effective after improvisation so that uranium can be extracted on a larger and more commercial scale scale,” he said.
CSMCRI Director Kannan Srinivasan said, “This kind of breakthrough research is needed for the transition to the nation towards the development of sustainable carbon neutral energy and clean water resources.”