Uranium molecule could clean up nuclear waste

A previously unseen uranium molecule has been discovered by researchers which could assist in the clean up of nuclear waste.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh made the discovery of a butterfly-shaped molecule, which could hold the key to understanding radioactive waste forms 'clusters', which make the toxic waste so difficult to clean. Separating these clusters has been a primary objective for researchers for some time. Understanding the role of these butterfly molecules could help reduce the costly clean up of nuclear waste.

Professor Polly Arnold, of the University's School of Chemistry, explained to The Student: "This fundamentally new type of clustering might have been overlooked in the complex mixtures in real-life situations, and so our model compounds might help people to make better separation agents, and avoid such clustering in the future."

Nuclear waste is the primary obstacle that is stopping energy providers switch from fossil fuels to nuclear power. Research into minimising the decay rate of nuclear waste has become a focal topic, and this breakthrough concerning the structure of nuclear waste could make a big difference in decreasing waste volume.

Posted by Joseph Hutton