2 research outputs found
Investigation of the interactions of uranium and plutonium with Boom clay organic matter
The solubility of uranium (IV) oxide, UO2, was investigated. Uranium (VI) was reduced to
uranium (IV) using sodium dithionite and iron granules at high pH (NaOH). A solubility
enhancement of UO2 in the presence of Boom clay humic acid (BCHA) was found to be
approximately one order of magnitude, where the solubility of UO2 (10-9 to 10-8 mol dm-3) was
increased to 10-7 mol dm-3 by BCHA. The solubility product (Ksp) of aqueous U(OH)4 and
stability constant (β141) for BCHA-U(OH)4 were calculated from experimental data using a novel
approach utilising the side reaction coefficient theory ('A' term). A log Ksp value of -54.51 for
U(OH)4, and a log β141 value of 51.36 for BCHA-U(OH)4 were calculated. [Continues.
Stability constants of U(VI) and U(IV)-humic acid complexes
Conditional stability constants have been determined for U(IV) and U(VI)
Boom Clay humic acid (BCHA) and Aldrich humic acid (AHA) complexes,
under anaerobic and carbonate free conditions. The constants are needed for
nuclear waste repository performance assessment purposes. The U(IV)
constants were obtained by developing an approach based on the solubility
product of amorphous U(OH)4. The U(VI) constants were obtained by
applying the Schubert ion exchange approach