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Many aquifers contaminated by U(VI)-containing acidic plumes are composed predominantly of quartz-sand sediments. The F-Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina (USA) is an example. To predict U(VI) mobility and natural attenuation, we conducted U(VI) adsorption experiments using the F- Area plume sediments and reference quartz, goethite, and kaolinite. The sediments are composed of ∼96% quartz-sand and 3-4% fine fractions of kaolinite and goethite. We developed a new humic acid adsorption method for determining the relative surface area abundances of goethite and kaolinite in the fine fractions. This method is expected to be applicable to many other binary mineral pairs, and allows successful application of the component additivity (CA) approach based surface complexation modeling (SCM) at the SRS F-Area and other similar aquifers. Our experimental results indicate that quartz has stronger U(VI) adsorption ability per unit surface area than goethite and kaolinite at pH ⩽ 4.0. Our modeling results indicate that the binary (goethite/kaolinite) CA-SCM under-predicts U(VI) adsorption to the quartz-sand dominated sediments at pH < 4.0. The new ternary (quartz/goethite/kaolinite) CA-SCM provides excellent predictions. The contributions of quartz-sand, kaolinite, and goethite to U(VI) adsorption and the potential influences of dissolved Al, Si, and Fe are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acidic uranium (U) groundwater plumes have resulted from acid-extraction of plutonium during the Cold War and from U mining and milling operations. A sustainable method for in situ immobilization of U under acidic conditions is not yet available. Here, we propose to use humic acids (HAs) for in situ U immobilization in acidic waste plumes. Our laboratory batch experiments show that HA can adsorb onto aquifer sediments rapidly, strongly and practically irreversibly. Adding HA greatly enhanced U adsorption capacity to sediments at pH below 5.0. Our column experiments using historically contaminated sediments from the Savannah River Site under slow flow rates (120 and 12 m/year) show that desorption of U and HA were nondetectable over 100 pore-volumes of leaching with simulated acidic groundwaters. Upon HA-treatment, 99% of the contaminant [U] was immobilized at pH ≤ 4.5, compared to 5% and 5896 immobilized ih the control columns at pH 3.5 and 4.5, respectively. These results indicate that HA-treatment is a promising in situ remediation method for acidic U waste plumes. As a remediation reagent, HAs are resistant to biodegradation, cost-effective, nontoxic, and easily intraducible to the subsurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A saline-alkaline brine containing high concentration of U(VI) was accidentally spilled at the Hanford Site in 1951, introducing 10 tons of U into sediments under storage tank BX- 102. U concentrations in the deep vadose zone and groundwater plumes increase with time, yet how the U has been migrating is not fully understood. We simulated the spill event in laboratory soil columns, followed by aging, and obtained spatially resolved U partitioning and speciation along simulated plumes. We found after aging, at apparent steady state, that the pore aqueous phase U concentrations remained surprisingly high (up to 0.022 M), in close agreement with the recently reported high U concentrations (up to 0.027 M) in the vadose zone plume (1). The pH values of aged pore liquids varying from 10 to 7, consistent with the measured pH of the field borehole sediments varying from 9.5 to 7.4 (2), from near the plume source to the plume front. The direct measurements of aged pore liquids together with thermo- dynamic calculations using a Pitzer approach revealed that UO2(CO3)34- is the dominant aqueous U species within the plume body (pH 8-10), whereas Ca2UO2(CO3)3 and CaUO2(CO3)32- are also significant in the plume front vicinity (pH 7-8), consistent with that measured from field borehole pore-waters (3). U solid phase speciation varies at different locations along the plume flow path and even within single sediment grains, because of location dependent pore and micropore solution chemistry. Our results suggest that continuous gravity- driven migration of the highly stable UO2(CO3)34- in the residual carbonate and sodium rich tank waste solution is likely responsible for the detected growing U concentrations in the vadose zone and groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remediation of uranium-contaminated sediments through in situ stimulation of bioreduction to insoluble UO2 is a potential treatment strategy under active investigation. Previously, we found that newly reduced U(IV) can be reoxidized under reducing conditions sustained by a continuous supply of organic carbon (OC) because of residual reactive Fe(III) and enhanced U(VI) solubility through complexation with carbonate generated through OC oxidation. That finding motivated this investigation directed at identifying a range of OC supply rates that is optimal for establishing U bioreduction and immobilization in initially oxidizing sediments. The effects of OC supply rate, from 0 to 580 mmol of OC (kg of sediment)-1 year-1, and OC form (lactate and acetate) on U bioreduction were tested in flow-through columns containing U-contaminated sediments. An intermediate supply rate on the order of 150 mmol of OC (kg of sediment)-1 year-1 was determined to be most effective at immobilizing U. At lower OC supply rates, U bioreduction was not achieved, and U(VI) solubility was enhanced by complexation with carbonate (from OC oxidation). At the highest OC supply rate, the resulting highly carbonate-enriched solutions also supported elevated levels of U(VI), even though strongly reducing conditions were established, Lactate and acetate were found to have very similar geochemical impacts on effluent U concentrations (and other measured chemical species), when compared at equivalent OC supply rates. While the catalysts of U(VI) reduction to U(IV) are presumably bacteria, the composition of the bacterial community, the Fe-reducing community, and the sulfate-reducing community had no direct relationship with effluent U concentrations. The OC supply rate has competing effects of driving reduction of U(VI) to low-solubility U(IV) solids, as well as causing formation of highly soluble U(VI)-carbonato complexes. These offsetting influences will require careful control of OC supply rates in order to optimize bioreduction-based U stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioreduction-based strategies for remediating uranium (U)-contaminated sediments face the challenge of maintaining the reduced status of U for long times. Because groundwater influxes continuously bring in oxidizing terminal electron acceptors (O2, NO3-, it is necessary to continue supplying organic carbon (OC) to maintain the reducing environment after U bioreduction is achieved. We tested the influence of OC supply rates on mobility of previously microbial reduced uranium U(IV) in contaminated sediments. We found that high degrees of U mobilization occurred when OC supply rates were high, and when the sediment still contained abundant Fe(III). Although 900 days with low levels of OC supply minimized U mobilization, the sediment redox potential increased with time as did extractable U(VI) fractions. Molecular analyses of total microbial activity demonstrated a positive correlation with OC supply and analyses of Geobacteraceae activity (RT-qPCR of 16S rRNA) indicated continued activity even when the effluent Fe(II) became undetectable. These data support our hypothesis on the mechanisms responsible for remobilization of U under reducing conditions; that microbial respiration caused increased (bi)carbonate concentration and formation of stable uranyl carbonate complexes, thereby shifted U(IV)/U(VI) equilibrium to more reducing potentials. The data also suggested that low OC concentrations could not sustain the reducing condition of the sediment for much longer time. Bioreduced U(IV) is not sustainable in an oxidizing environment for a very long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation status of uranium in sediments is important because the solubility of this toxic and radioactive element is much greater for U(VI) than for U(IV) species. Thus, redox manipulation to promote precipitation of UO2 is receiving interest as a method to remediate U-contaminated sediments. Presence of Fe and Mn oxides in sediments at much higher concentrations than U requires an understanding of their redox status as well. This study was conducted to determine changes in oxidation states of U, Fe, and Mn in U-contaminated sediments from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Oxidation states of these elements were measured in real-time and nondestructively using X-ray absorption spectroscopy on sediment columns supplied with synthetic groundwater containing organic carbon (OC, 0, 3, 10, 30, and 100 mM OC as lactate) for over 400 days. In sediments supplied with OC ≥ 30 mM, 80% of the U was reduced to U(IV), with transient reoxidation at about 150 days. Mn(III,lV) oxides were completely reduced to Mn(II) in sediments infused with OC ≥ 3 mM. However, Fe remained largely unreduced in all sediment columns, showing that Fe(Ill) can persist as an electron acceptor in reducing sediments over long times. This result in combination with the complete reduction of all other potential electron acceptors supports the hypothesis that the reactive Fe(II) fraction was responsible for reoxidizing U(IV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accidental overfilling of waste liquid from tank BX-102 at the Hanford Site in 1951 put about 10 t of U(Vl) into the vadose zone. In order to understand the domihant geochemical reactions and transport processes that occurred during the initial infiltration and to help understand current spatial distribution, we simulated the waste liquid spilling event in laboratory sediment columns using synthesized metal waste solution. We found that, as the plume propagated through sediments, pH decreased greatly (as much as 4 units) atthe moving plume front Infiltration flow rates strongly affect U behavior. Slower flow rates resulted in higher sediment-associated U concentrations, and higher flow rates (~5 cm/day) permitted practically unretarded U transport. Therefore, given the very high Ksat of most of Hanford formation, the low permeability zones within the sediment could have been most important in retaining high concentrations of U during initial release into the vadose zone. Massive amount of colloids, including U-colloids, formed at the plume fronts. Total U concentrations (aqueous and colloid) within plume fronts exceeded the source concentration by up to 5-fold. Uranium colloid formation and accumulation at the neutralized plume front could be one mechanism responsible for highly heterogeneous U distribution observed in the contaminated Hanford vadose zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Nanoparticles are ubiquitous in environment and are potentially important in many environmental processes such as sorption, coprecipitation, redox reactions, and dissolution. To investigate particle size effects on nanoparticle aggregation and stability, this study tested aggregation behavior of 12(±2), 32(±3), and 65(±3) nm (hydrated radius) hematite particles under environmental relevant pH and ionic strength conditions. The results showed that at the same ionic strength and pH conditions, different particle sizes show different tendency to aggregate. At the same ionic strength, aggregation rates are higher for smaller particles. The critical coagulation concentration also depends on particle size, and decreases as particle size decreases. As the particle size decreases, fast aggregation shifted to lower pH. This may be related to a dependence of PZC on particle size originating from change of structure and surface energy characteristics as particle size decreases. Under the same conditions, aggregation occurs faster as particle concentration increases. Even though the nanoparticles of different sizes show different response to the same pH and ionic strength, DLVO theory can be used to qualitatively understand hematite nanoparticle aggregation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ reduction of toxic Cr(VI) to less hazardous Cr(III) is becoming a popular strategy for remediating contaminated soils. However, the long-term stability of reduced Cr remains to be understood, especially given the common presence of Mn(III,IV) oxides that re-oxidize Cr(III). This 4.6 year laboratory study tracked Cr and Mn redox transformations in soils contaminated with Cr(VI), which were then treated with different amounts of organic carbon (OC). Changes in Cr and Mn oxidation states within soils were directly and nondestructively measured using micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Chromate reduction was roughly first-order, and the extent of reduction was enhanced with higher OC additions. However, significant Cr(III) re-oxidation occurred in soils exposed to the highest Cr(VI) concentrations (2560 mg kg-1). Transient Cr(III) re-oxidation up to 420 mg kg-1 was measured at 1.1 years after OC treatment, followed by further reduction. Chromate concentrations increased by 220 mg kg-1 at the end of the study (4.6 years) in one soil. The causal role that the Mn oxidation state had in re-oxidizing Cr was supported by trends in Mn K-edge energies. These results provide strong evidence for long-term dependence of soil Cr oxidation states on balances between OC availability and Mn redox status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Costly disposal of uranium (U) contaminated sediments is motivating research on in situ U(VI) reduction to insoluble U(IV) via directly or indirectly microbially mediated pathways. Delivery of organic carbon (OC) into sediments for stimulating U bioreduction is diffusion-limited in less permeable regions of the subsurface. To study OC-based U reduction in diffusion-limited regions, one slightly acidic and another calcareous sediment were treated with uranyl nitrate, packed into columns, then hydrostatically contacted with tryptic soy broth solutions. Redox potentials, U oxidation state, and microbial communities were well correlated. At average supply rates of 0.9 μmol OC (g sediment)-1 day-1, the U reduction zone extended to only about 35-45 mm into sediments. The underlying unreduced U(VI) zone persisted over 600 days because the supply of OC was diffusion-limited and metabolized within a short distance. These results also suggest that low U concentrations in groundwater samples from OC-treated sediments are not necessarily indicative of pervasive U reduction because interior and exterior regions of such sediment blocks can contain primarily U(VI) and U(IV), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the Hanford Site in Washington State, the pH values of contaminant plumes resulting from leaking of initially highly alkaline-saline radioactive waste solutions into the subsurface are now found to be substantially neutralized. However, the nature of plume pH neutralization has not previously been understood. As a master geochemical variable, pH needs to be understood in order to predict the fate and transport of contaminants carried by the waste plumes. Through this laboratory study, we found that the plume pH values spanned a broad range from 14 (within the near-source region) down to the value of 7 (lower than the pH value of the initial soil solution) while the plume was still connected to an actively leaking source. We defined two zones within a plume: the silicate dissolution zone (SDZ, pH 14-10) and the neutralized zone (NZ, pH 10-7). Quartz dissolution at elevated temperature and precipitation of secondary silicates (including sodium metasilicate, cancrinite, and zeolites) are the key reactions responsible for the pH neutralization within the SDZ. The rapid and thorough cation exchange of Na+ replacing Ca2+/Mg2+- combined with transport, resulted in a dynamic Ca2+/Mg2+- enriched plume front Subsequent precipitation of calcite, sodium silicate, and possibly talc led to dramatically reduced pH within the plume front and the neutralized zone. During aging (after the plume source became inactive), continued quartz dissolution and the secondary silicate precipitation drove the pH value lower, toward pH 11 at equilibrium within the SDZ, whereas the pH values in the NZ remained relatively unchanged with time. A pH profile of 11 from the plume source to pH 7 at the plume front is expected for a historical plume. This laboratory- based study provided realistic plume pH profiles (consistent with that measured from borehole samples) and identified underlying mechanisms responsible for pH evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the distribution of chromium (Cr) contaminants in soils. Rates of Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) relative to diffusive transport; Redox potential profiles after exposure to Cr(VI); Location of Cr accumulation in soils.

Studies the effect of particle size to film thickness ratio on the motion of spherical particles in a stable liquid film flowing down an inclined flat surface. Modification of previous models that are base on force and torque balance to predict the motion of particles that are smaller than film thickness; Agreement between model predictions and experimental results for small particle size and film thickness ratios.

Understanding the fate and transport of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in subsurface environments is required for developing the best strategy for waste management and disposal of these materials. In this study, the deposition and release of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles were studied in saturated sand columns. The QDs were first deposited in columns using 100 mM NaCl or 2 mM CaC12 solutions. Deposited QDs were then contacted with deionized (DI) water and/or varying Na+ concentrations to induce release. QDs deposited in 100 mM Na+ were easily reversible when the column was rinsed with DI water. Conversely, QDs deposited in the presence of Ca2+ exhibited resistance to release with DI water. However, significant release occurred when the columns were flushed with NaCl solutions. This release behavior was explained by cation exchange (Ca2+ in exchange sites were replaced by Na+) which resulted in the breakdown of calcium bridging. We also studied the effect of aging time on the QD release. As the aging time increased, smaller amounts of QDs were released following cation exchange. However, deposited QDs were subsequently released when the column was flushed with DI water. The release behavior was modeled using a single first-order kinetic release process and changes in the maximum solid phase concentration of deposited QDs with transition in solution chemistry. The results of this study demonstrate that the presence of carboxyl groups on ENPs and divalent ions in the solution plays a key role in controlling ENP mobility in the subsurface environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated concentrations of U in contaminated environments necessitate understanding controls on its solubility in groundwaters. Here, calculations were performed to compare U(VI) concentrations expected in typical oxidizing groundwaters in equilibrium with different U(VI) minerals. Among common U(VI) minerals, only tyuyamunite (Ca(UO2)2V2O8·8H2O), uranophane (Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2·5H2O), and a putative well-crystallized becquerelite (Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6·8H2O) were predicted to control U concentrations around its maximum contaminant level (MCL = 0.13 μM), albeit over narrow ranges of pH. Given the limited information available on uranyl vanadates, room temperature Ca-U-V precipitation experiments were conducted in order to compare aqueous U concentrations with tyuyamunite equilibrium predictions. Measured U concentrations were in approximate agreement with predictions based on Langmuir's estimated ΔGfo, although the precipitated solids were amorphous and had wide ranges of Ca/U/V molar ratios. Nevertheless, high initial U concentrations were decreased to below the MCL over the pH range 5.5-6.5 in the presence of newly formed CaUV solids, indicating that such solids can be important in controlling U in some environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods for remediating groundwaters contaminated with uranium (U) through precipitation under oxidizing conditions are needed because bioreduction-based approaches require indefinite supply of electron donor. Although strategies based on precipitation of some phosphate minerals within the (meta)autunite group have been considered for this purpose, thermodynamic calculations for K- and Ca-uranyl phopophates, meta-ankoleite and autunite, predict that U concentrations will exceed the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL = 0.13 μM for U) at any pH and pCO2, unless phosphate is maintained at much higher concentrations than the sub-μM levels typically found in groundwaters. We hypothesized that potassium uranyl vanadate will control U(VI) concentrations below regulatory levels in slightly acidic to neutral solutions based on thermodynamic data available for carnotite, K2(UO2)2V2O8. The calculations indicate that maintaining U concentrations below the MCL through precipitation of carnotite will he sustainable in some oxidizing waters having pH in the range of 5.5 to 7, even when dissolution of this solid phase becomes the sole supply of sub-μM levels of V. Batch experiments were conducted in solutions at pH 6.0 and 7.8, chosen because of their very different predicted extents of U(VI) removal. Conditions were identified where U concentrations dropped below the MCL within 1-5 days of contact with oxidizing solutions containing 0.2-10 mM K, and 0.1-20 μM V(V). This method may also have application in extracting (mining) U and V from groundwaters where they both occur at elevated concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion is important in controlling local solute transport and reactions in unsaturated soils and geologic formations. Although it is commonly assumed that thinning of water films controls solute diffusion at low water contents, transport under these conditions is not well understood. We conducted experiments in quartz sands at low volumetric water contents (θ) to quantify ion diffusion within adsorbed films. At the lowest water contents, we employed fixed relative humidities to control water films at nm thicknesses. Diffusion profiles for Rb+ and Br- in unsaturated sand packs were measured with a synchrotron X-ray microprobe, and inverse modeling was used to determine effective diffusion coefficients, De, as low as -1/49 x 10-15 m² s-1 at θ = 1.0 x 10-4 m³ m-3, where the film thickness = 0.9 nm. Given that the diffusion coefficients (Do) of Rb+ and Br- in bulk water (30 °C) are both -1/42.4 x 10-9 m² s-1, we found the impedance factor f = De/(θ Do) is equal to 0.03 ± 0.02 at this very low saturation, in agreement with the predicted influence of interface tortuosity (?"a) for diffusion along grain surfaces. Thus, reduced cross-sectional area (θ) and tortuosity largely accounted for the more than 5 orders of magnitude decrease in De relative to Do as desaturation progressed down to nanoscale films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the rapid development and emerging commercialization of nanoparticles, fundamental studies concerning the fate of nanoparticles in the environment are needed. Precise control over the nanoparticle size, shape, and surface coating of cadmium selenide particles modified with thiolate ligands has been used to analyze the effects of nanoparticle design on their stability in aqueous environments. Nanoparticle stability was quantified using the concept of critical coagulation concentration (CCC) in solutions of sodium chloride. These investigations characterized the instability of the ligand coatings, which varied directly with chain length of the capping ligands. The stability of the ligand coatings were characterized as a function of time, pH, and ionic strength. Ligand dissociation has been shown to be a primary mechanism for nanoparticle aggregation when short-chain (C2−C6) ligands are used in the ligand shell. Stable nanoparticle suspensions prepared with long chain ligands (C11) were used to characterize nanoparticle stability as a function of size and shape. A linear relationship between particle surface area and the CCC was discovered and was found to be independent of nanoparticle shape. Quantitative analysis of nanoparticle size, shape, and surface coating demonstrated the importance of ligand stability and particle surface area for the prediction of nanoparticle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a field experiment designed to test the effectiveness of a novel approach for long-term, in situ bioimmobilization of toxic and soluble Cr(Vl) in groundwater using a hydrogen release compound (HRC)—a slow release glycerol polylactate—are described. The field experiment was conducted at the Hanford Site (Washington), a U.S. Department of Energy nuclear production facility, using a combination of hydrogeological, geophysical, geochemical, and microbiological measurements and analyses of water samples and sediments. The results of this experiment show that a single HRC injection into groundwater stimulates an increase in biomass, a depletion of terminal electron acceptors O2, NO3-, and SO42-, and an increase in Fe2+, resulting in a significant decrease in soluble Cr(Vl). The Cr(VI) concentration has remained below the background concentration in the down gradient pumping! monitoring well, and below the detection limit in the injection well for more than 3 years after the HRC injection. The degree of sustainability of Cr(Vl) reductive bioimmobilization under different redox conditions at this and other contaminated sites is currently under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]