Front Cover Story (See: Xin Tang, Yin Ye, Chunlin Wang, Zemin Qin, Cui Li, Yanlong Chen, Yuheng Wang, Zhiling Li, Miao Lv, Aijie Wang, Fan Chen 2024, 18(1): 4)
The efficient extraction of uranium (U) from U-bearing wastewater is imperative for environmental preservation and resource recovery. While the microbial reduction of soluble hexavalent uranium (U(VI)) to insoluble tetravalent uranium (U(IV)) presents significant potential, practical applications face impediments related to the management of U-bacterial mixtures and U biotoxicity. Addressing these challenges, our study introduces a Spontaneous Microbial Electrochemical (SMEC) method, strategically decoupling microbial oxidation and U(VI) reduction processes. This approach yields stable U extraction with concurrent net electrical energy production, validated across synthetic and real wastewater scenarios. Our research represents a noteworthy advancement in the cost-effective recovery of U from U(VI)-bearing wastewater, offering prospects for a sustainable paradigm in uranium extraction.
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