Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T18:02:07.930Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Generation and Transport Properties of Colloidal Tri-And Tetravalent Actinide Species in Geologic Environments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

U. Olofsson
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
M. Bengtsson
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
B. Allard
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
Get access

Abstract

The formation of colloidal particle fractions of triand tetravalent actinides (Am(III), Th(IV), Pu) has been studied in aqueous solutions under various conditions. (Variations of nuclide concentration 10-7-10-11 M; pH 3-12; salt medium 0.01-1.0 M NaCl04; storage time 6 h-6 months; temperature 5°C, 25°C, 70°C). A large fraction of the nuclides is sorbed on the vessel walls, but there is also a formation of centrifugable particles. For americium this fraction has two maxima, at pH 5-8 and at pH above 12. For thorium and plutonium this fraction is very small except at pH about 12. In the pH-range 7-9, which is expected in underground waste repositories, the particle fractions do not seem to be highly mobile. Plutonium behaves very similar to thorium in all studied systems, so it is probably tetravalent to a large extent.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Benes, P. and Majer, V., Trace Chemistry of Aqueous Solution, (Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam 1980).Google Scholar
2. Kepák, F., “Adsorption and Colloidal Properties of Radioactive Elements in Trace Concentrations”, Chemical Reviews 71, 357 (1971).10.1021/cr60272a002Google Scholar
3. Olofsson, U., Allard, B., Bengtsson, M., Torstenfelt, B. and Andersson, K., “Formation and Properties of Actinide Colloids”, KBS TR 83-08, Kärnbränslesäkerhet, Stockholm 1983.Google Scholar
4. Olofsson, U., Allard, B., Andersson, K. and Torstenfelt, B., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 6, 191198 (1982).10.1557/PROC-6-191Google Scholar
5. Lundqvist, R., “Electromigration Method in Tracer Studies of Complex Chemistry”, Acta Chem. Scand. A 35, 31 (1981).10.3891/acta.chem.scand.35a-0031CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Podhajecký, P., Gosman, A. and Benes, P., “Radiotracer Analysis of the Physico- Chemical State of Trace Elements in Aqueous Solutions”, Y. Radioanal. Chem. 57, 253 (1980).10.1007/BF02516739Google Scholar
7. Olofsson, U., Allard, B., Torstenfelt, B. and Andersson, K., Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 11, 755764 (1982).10.1557/PROC-11-755Google Scholar
8. Allard, B., “The Solubilities of Actinides in Neutral or Basic Solutions”, in Edelstein., N. (Ed.) Actinides in Perspective, (Pergamon Press, Oxford 1982), p. 553.10.1016/B978-0-08-029193-2.50029-8Google Scholar