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The uptake of Zn by Illite du Puy (IdP) and two argillaceous rocks, Opalinus Clay (OPA) and Boda Claystone (BODA) was investigated. The uptake of Zn by illite was studied in 0.1 M NaCl at near-neutral pH and Zn loadings varying from 2.1 to 42 mmol/kg. The Zn uptake by the two argillaceous rock systems was carried out in 0.1 M NaCl at pH 7.2 and in their respective porewaters at pH 8.0 to evaluate the influence of porewater composition. The Zn loadings varied from 1.8 to 86 mmol/kg and 1.7 to 60 mmol/kg for OPA and BODA, respectively. The simplified “bottom-up approach” to predict the uptake of Zn to natural rocks with different clay mineral contents and porewater compositions was tested. This approach was found to be applicable in the argillaceous rock systems at low Zn equilibrium ([Zn]eql) concentrations below 10−7 M. However, at [Zn]eql above 10−7 M, the model calculations clearly underpredicted the sorption data. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) results support findings based on wet chemistry calculations using the 2 site protolysis non-electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) sorption model. In the IdP system with prolonged reaction times of up to two years, formation of Zn precipitates was not observed. This indicates that the Zn surface complexes are stable over a time period of two years, and dissolution and recrystallization processes might not play a significant role in the Zn-IdP uptake process. In addition, the EXAFS results on illite corroborate previous findings on the existence of weak and strong sites types in dioctahedral clay minerals, as assumed in the 2SPNE SC/CE model. In the OPA and BODA systems, precipitation processes could start to begin at metal loadings of 16 mmol/kg and 24 mmol/kg, respectively. The differences between argillaceous rock samples prepared in NaCl and porewater are modest indicating that in the case of Zn the clay minerals play a predominant role in the uptake process, and that the effects originating from the porewater are minor. Furthermore, despite the differences in mineralogy, both argillaceous rocks show the same uptake behaviour, indicating that the clay minerals are predominantly responsible for the sorption at low and the precipitation processes at higher Zn concentrations. The study demonstrates how results on “pure” systems such as IdP can be transferred to predict the uptake by argillaceous rocks at low sorbate concentrations.

The adsorption of thallium (Tl) onto phyllosilicate minerals plays a critical role in the retention of Tl in soils and sediments and the potential transfer of Tl into plants and groundwater. Especially micaceous minerals are thought to strongly bind monovalent Tl(I), in analogy to their strong binding of Cs. To advance the understanding of Tl(I) adsorption onto phyllosilicate minerals, we studied the adsorption of Tl(I) onto Na- and K-saturated illite and Na-saturated smectite, two muscovites, two vermiculites and a naturally Tl-enriched soil clay mineral fraction. Macroscopic adsorption isotherms were combined with the characterization of the adsorbed Tl by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). In combination, the results suggest that the adsorption of Tl(I) onto phyllosilicate minerals can be interpreted in terms of three major uptake paths: (i) highest-affinity inner-sphere adsorption of dehydrated Tl

The influence of ionic strength up to 3 mol/kg (background electrolytes NaCl or CaCl2) on U(VI) sorption onto montmorillonite was investigated as function of pHc in absence and presence of CO2. A multi-method approach combined batch sorption experiments with spectroscopic methods (time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) and in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy). In the absence of atmospheric carbonate, U(VI) sorption was nearly 99% above pHc 6 in both NaCl and CaCl2 and no significant effect of ionic strength was found. At lower pH, cation exchange was strongly reduced with increasing ionic strength. In the presence of carbonate, U(VI) sorption was reduced above pHc 7.5 in NaCl and pHc 6 in CaCl2 system due to formation of aqueous UO2(CO3)x(2-2x) and Ca2UO2(CO3)3 complexes, respectively, as verified by TRLFS. A significant ionic strength effect was observed due to the formation of Ca2UO2(CO3)3(aq), which strongly decreases U(VI) sorption with increasing ionic strength. The joint analysis of determined sorption data together with literature data (giving a total of 213 experimental data points) allowed to derive a consistent set of surface complexation reactions and constants based on the 2SPNE SC/CE approach, yielding log K⁰ = 2.42 ± 0.04 (≡SSOUO2+), log K⁰ = −4.49 ± 0.7 (≡SSOUO2OH), and log K⁰ = −20.5 ± 0.4 (≡SSOUO2(OH)32-). Ternary uranyl carbonate surface complexes were not required to describe the data. With this reduced set of surface complexes, an improved robust sorption model was obtained covering a broad variety of geochemical settings over wide ranges of ionic strengths and groundwater compositions, which subsequently was validated by an independent original dataset. This model improves the understanding of U(VI) retention by clay minerals and enables now predictive modeling of U(VI) sorption processes in complex clay rich natural environments.

The adsorption of divalent lead on the homoionic Na forms of illite (Na-IdP) and montmorillonite (Na-SWy) was investigated by batch type adsorption experiments. Ion equilibrium experiments between Pb2+ and Na+ yielded selectivity coefficients for cation exchange on the planar sites of both clay minerals. Pb adsorption edges (pH 2–11) and isotherms (pH 3, 6 and 7 and at 10−12 M

Sorption processes control the solubility of toxic thallium (Tl) in soils and thereby its potential leaching into groundwater or uptake by plants. Micaceous clay minerals and Mn oxides are considered to be key sorbents for Tl in soils. We studied the sorption and speciation of Tl in 36 geogenically Tl-rich topsoil materials from the Swiss Jura Mountains by combining chem-ical extractions, isotope exchange experiments, adsorption experiments, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and sorption modelling. We demonstrate that the relation between exchangeable and soluble Tl determined in batch extractions of soils with only geogenic and with freshly spiked Tl matches adsorption isotherms of freshly spiked Tl, and that this relation can be described with a published 3-site cation exchange model for Tl adsorption onto illite. Complemented with XAS data, the results show that micaceous clay minerals control the short-term solubility of Tl via cation exchange, but also the long-term sequestration of most geogenic soil Tl (>90%) via structural fixation. Adsorption competition with K+ and NH4+ at the frayed edges of micaceous clay minerals greatly affects Tl solubility. Increases in the dissolved concentrations of K and NH4 in soil pore water may therefore lead to the release of Tl into solution. The fractions of geogenic Tl associated with Mn oxides were about half as high as the fractions of exchangeable Tl. This Mn-associated Tl is not readily mobilized by cation exchange, but could be released during periodic water logging and soil reduction. In (periodically) reducing environments, the potential of Mn oxides for long-term Tl sequestration is therefore limited. In conclusion, the results from this study high-light the importance of micaceous clay minerals for Tl cycling in soils and sediments, and suggest that concepts developed to assess the sorption of (radio)caesium onto micaceous clay minerals in soils and sediments are transferable to Tl., Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 288, ISSN:0016-7037, ISSN:1872-9533

Experimental investigations on the uptake of divalent cations (Sr, Co and Zn) onto illite (Illite du Puy, Le-Puy-en-Velay, France) were carried out by three different international research groups (Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal, KIT (Germany), Group Waste & Disposal, SCK-CEN, (Belgium) and Laboratory for Waste Management, PSI (Switzerland)) in the framework of the European FP7 CatClay project. The dependence of solid-liquid distribution ratios (Rd values) on pH at trace metal conditions (sorption edges) and on the metal ion concentration (sorption isotherms) was determined in dilute suspensions of homo-ionic Na-illite (Na-IdP) under controlled N2 atmosphere. The experimental results were modelled using the 2 Site Protolysis Non Electrostatic Surface Complexation and Cation Exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) sorption model. The sorption of Sr depends strongly on ionic strength, while a rather weak pH dependence is observed in a pH range between 3 and 11. The data were modelled with cation exchange reactions, taking into account competition with H, K, Ca, Mg and Al, and surface complexation on weak amphotheric edge sites at higher pH values. The sorption of Co on Na-IdP, however, is strongly pH dependent. Cation exchange on the planar sites and surface complexation on strong and weak amphoteric edge sites were used to describe the Co sorption data. Rd values for Co derived from in-diffusion measurements on compacted Na-IdP samples (bulk-dry density of 1700 kg m−3) between pH 5.0 and 9.0 are in good agreement with the batch sorption data. The equivalence of both approaches to measure sorption was thus confirmed for the present test system. In addition, the results highlight the importance of both major and minor surface species for the diffusive transport behaviour of strongly sorbing metal cations. While surface complexes at the edge sites determine largely the Rd value, the diffusive flux may be governed by those species bound to the planar sites, even at low fractional occupancies. The pH dependent sorption determined for trace Zn concentrations showed large Rd values across the entire pH range with almost no dependence on the background electrolyte concentration. Additional sorption experiments carried out at substantial fractional Zn loadings demonstrated that the selectivity for the exchange of Na+ for Zn2+ at the planar sites could not explain the large Rd values measured at low pH and trace Zn concentrations. This suggests that another mechanism is ruling Zn uptake under these conditions.

Clay minerals are important adsorbents in soils and sediments for hazardous contaminants in the environment. A whole variety of adsorption models for clay minerals has been developed over the past few decades. In the first part of this chapter, a brief overview of existing models describing cation exchange and surface complexation is presented. The second part presents for a large number of heavy metals and radionuclides exhibiting oxidation states from + I to + VI experimental adsorption data onto montmorillonite (Mt) and illite. A quasimechanistic nonelectrostatic adsorption model is applied to describe quantitatively the uptake of these elements over a broad pH, background electrolyte, and adsorbate concentration range. In the third part, special focus is put on the adsorption behaviour of iron on Mt. Wherever possible, a multidisciplinary approach is followed, whereby the wet chemistry studies are complemented by modelling and spectroscopic investigations with the aim of validating the underlying assumptions in the adsorption model.

In this study, the solubility and hydrolysis of U(VI) was investigated at elevated temperature. Experiments were performed in solutions of NaCl 0.51 mol/kg of water in the pHm range 4–13.4 (with pHm = –log[H+]) at T = 22 ± 3 and 80 ± 5 °C under N2/Ar atmosphere. Two solid phases were used as starting U(VI) materials: UO3·2H2O(cr) equilibrated in solutions with 4 ≤ pHm ≤ 5 and Na2U2O7·H2O(cr) (a synthetic clarkeite-like phase) equilibrated in solutions with 7 ≤ pHm ≤ 13.4. The solubility of UO3·2H2O(cr) at T = 80 °C in the acidic pHm-range is decreased by a factor of ten with respect to the U(VI)-phase studied at room temperature. Solid phase characterization by XRD, SEM–EDS and quantitative chemical analysis indicate that this decrease is correlated to the transformation of UO3·2H2O(cr) into a sodium-containing U(VI) solid phase. The solubility of Na2U2O7·H2O(cr) in the alkaline pHm-range is drastically enhanced at T = 80 °C. The main contribution to this effect results from the increased acidity of water at elevated temperature, although an enhanced hydrolytic activity of U(VI) or a decreased stability of Na2U2O7·H2O(cr) are also considered, in order to explain the solubility data under these experimental conditions. Solid phase characterization after completing the solubility experiments confirms that Na2U2O7·H2O(cr) retains its stoichiometry and structure at T = 80 °C within the timeframe of the study (t ≤ 290 days). A thermodynamic model, comprising conditional stability constants and enthalpy data has been developed, describing reliably the processes of hydrolytic dissolution of Na2U2O7·H2O(cr) in alkaline NaCl solutions up to 0.51 mol/kg and their temperature dependence in the range 22–80 °C. This work represents the first comprehensive study on U(VI) solubility and hydrolysis at elevated temperatures extending to alkaline pHm conditions relevant in the context of nuclear waste disposal. It provides robust solubility upper limits to be considered in source term estimations, but also thermodynamic data for both solid phases and aqueous species that can be implemented in thermodynamic databases and related geochemical calculations.

We investigated the adsorption of Tl+ onto purified Illite du Puy (IdP). Distribution coefficients (Kd) for trace Tl adsorption indicated a moderate pH-dependence from pH 2.5 to 11. Adsorption isotherms measured at Tl+ concentrations from 10-9 to 10-2 M at near-neutral pH on illite saturated with Na+ (100 mM), K+ (1 and 10 mM), NH4+ (10 mM) or Ca2+ (5 mM) revealed a high adsorption affinity of Tl+ in Na+- and Ca2+-electrolytes and strong competition with K+ and NH4+. Cation exchange selectivity coefficients for Tl+ with respect to Na+, K+, NH4+, and Ca2+ were derived using a 3-site sorption model. They confirmed the strong adsorption of Tl+ at the frayed edges of illite, with Tl selectivity coefficients between those reported for Rb+ and Cs+. X-ray absorption spectra of Tl adsorbed onto Na-exchanged IdP indicated a shift from adsorption of (dehydrated) Tl+ at the frayed edges at low loadings to adsorption of (hydrated) Tl+ on planar sites at the highest loadings. Our results suggest that illite is an important adsorbent for Tl in soils and sediments, considering its often high abundance and its stability relative to other potential adsorbents and the selective nature of Tl+ uptake by illite.

Reliable predictions of radiocontaminant migration are a requirement for the establishment of radioactive waste repositories. Parametrization of the necessary sorption models seems to be, however, extremely challenging given the multi-mineralic composition of the lithosphere. In this study it is shown for two argillaceous rocks – Boda and Opalinus Clay relevant for the Hungarian and Swiss repository concepts, respectively – that this task can be substantially simplified by taking into account only the most sorptive mineral fraction, namely the 2:1 clay minerals illite and illite/smectite mixed layers. Two different models were required to blind predict the sorption isotherms of Cs, Co, Ni, Eu, Th and UO 2 measured on the two clay rock samples in a synthetic porewater. Cs sorption was modelled with the g eneralised Cs (GCs) sorption model and the sorption of the other cations with the 2 s ite p rotolysis n on e lectrostatic s urface c omplexation and c ation e xchange (2SPNE SC/CE) model. The 2SPNE SC/CE model for illite was extended with surface complexation reactions on weak sites for Co, Ni, Eu, UO 2 and on strong sites for Eu-carbonato complexes. Complementary to the sorption measurements and modelling, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy was used to probe the retention mechanism of Ni on illite, Boda and Opalinus Clay at higher loadings. The reliable blind predictions of the selected metal cations, which are representative for monovalent alkaline metals, divalent transition metals, lanthanides, and trivalent, tetravalent and hexavalent actinides, confirms the applicability of this simplified bottom up approach, and, renders the underlying sorption models particularly useful to predict sorption for the wide range of cations to be considered in the safety analysis of radioactive waste repositories in clay-rich environments.

Fe(II) sorption edges and isotherms have been measured on low structural Fe-content montmorillonite (STx) and high structural Fe-content montmorillonite (SWy) under anoxic (O20.1 ppm) and strongly reducing conditions (Eh = -0.64 V). Under anoxic conditions Fe(II) sorption on SWy was significantly higher than on STx, whereas the sorption under reducing conditions was essentially the same. The uptake behavior of Fe(II) on STx under all redox conditions (Eh = +0.28 to -0.64 V) and SWy under reducing conditions (Eh = -0.64 V) was consistent with previous measurements made on other divalent transition metals. All of the sorption data could be modeled with the two-site protolysis nonelectrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) sorption model including an additional surface complexation reaction for Fe(II) which involved the surface oxidation of ferrous iron surface complexes (≡S(S,W)OFe(+)) to ferric iron surface complexes (≡S(S,W)OFe(2+)) on both the strong and weak sites. The electron acceptor sites on the montmorillonite are postulated to be the structural Fe(III).

Iron is an important redox-active element that is ubiquitous in both engineered and natural environments. In this study, the retention mechanism of Fe(II) on clay minerals was investigated using macroscopic sorption experiments combined with Mössbauer and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Sorption edges and isotherms were measured under anoxic conditions on natural Fe-bearing montmorillonites (STx, SWy, and SWa) having different structural Fe contents ranging from 0.5 to 15.4 wt % and different initial Fe redox states. Batch experiments indicated that, in the case of low Fe-bearing (STx) and dithionite-reduced clays, the Fe(II) uptake follows the sorption behavior of other divalent transition metals, whereas Fe(II) sorption increased by up to 2 orders of magnitude on the unreduced, Fe(III)-rich montmorillonites (SWy and SWa). Mössbauer spectroscopy analysis revealed that nearly all the sorbed Fe(II) was oxidized to surface-bound Fe(III) and secondary Fe(III) precipitates were formed on the Fe(III)-rich montmorillonite, while sorbed Fe is predominantly present as Fe(II) on Fe-low and dithionite-reduced clays. The results provide compelling evidence that Fe(II) uptake characteristics on clay minerals are strongly correlated to the redox properties of the structural Fe(III). The improved understanding of the interfacial redox interactions between sorbed Fe(II) and clay minerals gained in this study is essential for future studies developing Fe(II) sorption models on natural montmorillonites.

The interaction of Fe(II) with clay minerals is of particular relevance in global geochemical processes controlling metal and nutrient cycles and the fate of contaminants. In this context, the influence of competitive sorption effects between Fe(II) and other relevant transition metals on their uptake characteristics and mobility remains an important issue. Macroscopic sorption experiments combined with surface complexation modeling and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy were applied to elucidate competitive sorption processes between divalent Fe and Zn at the clay mineral-water interface. Sorption isotherms were measured on a synthetic iron-free montmorillonite (IFM) under anoxic conditions (O20.1 ppm) for the combinations of Zn(II)/Fe(II) and Fe(II)/Zn(II), where the former metal in each pair represents the trace metal (10(-7) M) and the latter the competing metal at higher concentrations (10(-7) to 10(-3) M). Results of the batch sorption and EXAFS measurements indicated that Fe(II) is competing with trace Zn(II) for the same type of strong sites if Fe(II) is present in excess, whereas no competition between trace Fe(II) and Zn(II) was observed if Zn(II) is present at high concentrations. The noncompetitive behavior suggests the existence of sorption sites which have a higher affinity for Fe(III), where surface-induced oxidation of the sorbed Fe(II) to Fe(III) occurred, and which are not accessible for Zn(II). The understanding of this competitive uptake mechanism between Fe(II) and Zn(II) is of great importance to assess the bioavailability and mobility of transition metals in the natural environment.

Thermodynamic sorption models (TSMs) offer the potential to improve the incorporation of sorption in environmental modelling of contaminant migration. One specific application is safety cases for radioactive waste repositories, in which radionuclide sorption on mineral surfaces is usually described using distribution coefficients (K"d values). TSMs can be utilised to provide a scientific basis for the range of K"d values included in the repository safety case, and for assessing the response of K"d to changes in chemical conditions. The development of a TSM involves a series of decisions on model features such as numbers and types of surface sites, sorption reactions and electrostatic correction factors. There has been a lack of consensus on the best ways to develop such models, and on the methods of determination of associated parameter values. The present paper therefore presents recommendations on a number of aspects of model development, which are applicable both to radioactive waste disposal and broader environmental applications. The TSM should be calibrated using a comprehensive sorption data set for the contaminant of interest, showing the impact of major geochemical parameters including pH, ionic strength, contaminant concentration, the effect of ligands, and major competing ions. Complex natural materials should be thoroughly characterised in terms of mineralogy, surface area, cation exchange capacity, and presence of impurities. During the application of numerical optimisation programs to simulate sorption data, it is often preferable that the TSM should be fitted to the experimentally determined K"d parameter, rather than to the frequently used percentage sorbed. Two different modelling approaches, the component additivity and generalised composite, can be used for modelling sorption data for complex materials such as soils. Both approaches may be coupled to the same critically reviewed aqueous thermodynamic data sets, and may incorporate the same, or similar, surface reactions and surface species. The quality of the final sorption model can be assessed against the following characteristics: an appropriate level of complexity, documented and traceable decisions, internal consistency, limitations on the number of adjustable parameter values, an adequate fit to a comprehensive calibration data set, and capability of simulating independent data sets. Key recommendations for the process of TSM development include: definition of modelling objectives, identification of major decision points, a clear decision-making rationale with reference to experimental or theoretical evidence, utilisation of a suitable consultative and iterative model development process, testing to the maximum practicable extent, and thorough documentation of key decisions. These recommendations are consistent with international benchmarks for environmental modelling.

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and Mössbauer spectroscopy combined with macroscopic sorption experiments were employed to investigate the sorption mechanism of Fe(II) on an iron-free synthetic montmorillonite (Na-IFM). Batch sorption experiments were performed to measure the Fe(II) uptake on Na-IFM at trace concentrations as a function of pH and as a function of sorbate concentration at pH 6.2 and 6.7 under anoxic conditions (O20.1 ppm). A two-site protolysis nonelectrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange sorption model was used to quantitatively describe the uptake of Fe(II) on Na-IFM. Two types of clay surface binding sites were required to model the Fe(II) sorption, the so-called strong (≡S(S)OH) and weak (≡S(W)OH) sites. EXAFS data show spectroscopic differences between Fe sorbed at low and medium absorber concentrations that were chosen to be characteristic for sorption on strong and weak sites, respectively. Data analysis indicates that Fe is located in the continuity of the octahedral sheet at trans-symmetric sites. Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements confirmed that iron sorbed on the weak edge sites is predominantly present as Fe(II), whereas a significant part of surface-bound Fe(III) was produced on the strong sites (∼12% vs ∼37% Fe(III) species to total sorbed Fe).

The credibility of long-term safety assessments of radioactive waste repositories may be greatly enhanced by a molecular level understanding of the sorption processes onto individual minerals present in the near- and far-fields. In this study we couple macroscopic sorption experiments to surface complexation modelling and spectroscopic investigations, including extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopies (TRLFS), to elucidate the uptake mechanism of trivalent lanthanides and actinides (Ln/An III ) by montmorillonite in the absence and presence of dissolved carbonate. Based on the experimental sorption isotherms for the carbonate-free system, the previously developed 2 site protolysis non electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) model needed to be complemented with an additional surface complexation reaction onto weak sites. The fitting of sorption isotherms in the presence of carbonate required refinement of the previously published model by reducing the strong site capacity and by adding the formation of Ln/An III -carbonato complexes both on strong and weak sites. EXAFS spectra of selected Am samples and TRLFS spectra of selected Cm samples corroborate the model assumptions by showing the existence of different surface complexation sites and evidencing the formation of Ln/An III carbonate surface complexes. In the absence of carbonate and at low loadings, Ln/An III form strong inner-sphere complexes through binding to three Al(O,OH) 6 octahedra, most likely by occupying vacant sites in the octahedral layers of montmorillonite, which are exposed on {010} and {110} edge faces. At higher loadings, Ln/An III binds to only one Al octahedron, forming a weaker, edge-sharing surface complex. In the presence of carbonate, we identified a ternary mono- or dicarbonato Ln/An III complex binding directly to one Al(O,OH) 6 octahedron, revealing that type-A ternary complexes form with the one or two carbonate groups pointing away from the surface into the solution phase. Within the spectroscopically observable concentration range these complexes could only be identified on the weak sites, in line with the small strong site capacity suggested by the refined sorption model. When the solubility of carbonates was exceeded, formation of an Am carbonate hydroxide could be identified. The excellent agreement between the thermodynamic model parameters obtained by fitting the macroscopic data, and the spectroscopically identified mechanisms, demonstrates the mature state of the 2SPNE SC/CE model for predicting and quantifying the retention of Ln/An III elements by montmorillonite-rich clay rocks.

The mechanism of U(VI) sorption on montmorillonite (Na-SWy-1) in the absence and presence of carbonate was investigated through a combination of different approaches: macroscopic sorption experiments, surface complexation modelling using the 2 Site Protolysis Non Electrostatic Surface Complexation and Cation Exchange sorption model and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. U(VI) sorption measurements were performed in the absence of carbonate at fixed ionic strength (0.1 M NaClO4) as a function of pH at U(VI) trace concentration (∼9 × 10−8 M) and as a function of U(VI) concentration (∼10−7–10−4 M) at a fixed pH (5, 6.8 and 8). In the presence of carbonate, experiments were carried out in equilibrium with atmospheric pCO2 and in 1, 3 and 5 mM NaHCO3. The pH dependent sorption measurements at trace concentration in the absence of carbonate were modelled by considering the formation of the following surface species, S S OUO 2 + , S S OUO 2 OH 0 , S S OUO 2 ( OH ) 2 - and S S OUO 2 ( OH ) 3 2 - on the strong sites. From the isotherms the formation of S W 1 OUO 2 + and S W 1 OUO 2 OH 0 on the weak sites was inferred. Two additional surface complexes on the strong sites, S S OUO 2 CO 3 - and S S OUO 2 ( CO 3 ) 2 3 - and one surface complex on the weak sites, S W 1 OUO 2 CO 3 - , were necessary to reproduce the sorption data obtained in the presence of carbonate. The EXAFS measurements did not allow to verify the formation of ternary uranyl-carbonate complexes on the montmorillonite surface. However, the obtained fit results, i.e. splitting of the equatorial oxygen shell, one Si/Al shell at ∼3.09 A and one Si/Al at ∼3.29 A or one Fe shell at ∼3.42 A, clearly indicate that under the given experimental conditions (pH, U(VI) loading) U(VI) forms inner-sphere surface complexes on montmorillonite edge sites via binding to aluminum octahedra and/or silicon tetrahedra.

Clay minerals often contain redox-active structural iron that participates in electron transfer reactions with environmental pollutants, bacteria, and biological nutrients. Measuring the redox properties of structural Fe in clay minerals using electrochemical approaches, however, has proven to be difficult due to a lack of reactivity between clay minerals and electrodes. Here, we overcome this limitation by using one-electron-transfer mediating compounds to facilitate electron transfer between structural Fe in clay minerals and a vitreous carbon working electrode in an electrochemical cell. Using this approach, the electron-accepting and -donating capacities (Q(EAC) and Q(EDC)) were quantified at applied potentials (E(H)) of -0.60 V and +0.61 V (vs SHE), respectively, for four natural Fe-bearing smectites (i.e., SWa-1, SWy-2, NAu-1, and NAu-2) having different total Fe contents (Fe(total) = 2.3 to 21.2 wt % Fe) and varied initial Fe(2+)/Fe(total) states. For every SWa-1 and SWy-2 sample, all the structural Fe was redox-active over the tested E(H) range, demonstrating reliable quantification of Fe content and redox state. Yet for NAu-1 and NAu-2, a significant fraction of the structural Fe was redox-inactive, which was attributed to Fe-rich smectites requiring more extreme E(H)-values to achieve complete Fe reduction and/or oxidation. The Q(EAC) and Q(EDC) values provided here can be used as benchmarks in future studies examining the extent of reduction and oxidation of Fe-bearing smectites.

The 2 site protolysis non electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) sorption model has been used over the past decade or so to quantitatively describe the uptake of metals with oxidation states from II to VI on 2:1 clay minerals; montmorillonite and illite. One of the main features in this model is that there are two broad categories of amphoteric edge sorption sites; the so called strong ( SSOH) and weak ( SW1OH) sites. Because of their different sorption characteristics, it was expected that the coordination environments of the surface complexes on the two site types would be different. Zn isotherm data on two montmorillonites, Milos and STx-1, were measured and modelled using the 2SPNE SC/CE sorption model. The results were used to define the most favourable experimental conditions under which Zn sorption was either dominated by the strong ( SSOH, ∼2 mmol kg−1) or by the weak sites ( SW1OH, ∼40 mmol kg−1). Highly oriented self-supporting films were prepared for polarised extended X-ray absorption fine structure (P-EXAFS) investigations. Montmorillonites often contain Zn incorporated in the clay matrix. The Zn bound in this form was quantified and the results from the analysis of the P-EXAFS spectra were taken into account in the interpretation of the spectra measured at low Zn loadings (∼2 mmol kg−1) and medium Zn loadings (∼30 mmol kg−1). The Zn spectra on the “strong sites” exhibited a pronounced angular dependency and formed surface complexes in the continuity of the Al-octahedral sheets at the montmorillonite edges. In contrast, the Zn “weak site” spectra showed only a weak angular dependency. The spectroscopic evidence indicates the existence of two distinct groups of edge surface binding sites which is consistent with a multi-site sorption model and in particular with the strong/weak site concept intrinsic to the 2SPNE S/CE sorption model.

The results from batch sorption experiments on montmorillonite systems have demonstrated that bivalent transition metals compete with one another for sorption sites. For safety analysis studies of high level radioactive waste repositories with compacted bentonite near fields, the importance of competitive sorption on the migration of radionuclides needs to be evaluated. Under reducing conditions, the bentonite porewater chosen has a Fe(II) concentration of ∼5.3 × 10−5 M through saturation with siderite. The purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of such high Fe(II) concentrations on the transport of Ni(II) through compacted bentonite, Ni(II) was chosen as an example of a bivalent transition metal. The one-dimensional calculations were carried out at different Ni(II) equilibrium concentrations at the boundary (Ni(II)EQBM) with the reactive transport code MCOTAC incorporating the two site protolysis non electrostatic surface complexation/cation exchange sorption model, MCOTAC-sorb. At a Ni(II)EQBM level of 10−7 M without Fe(II) competition, the reactive transport calculations using a constant Kd approach and the MCOTAC-sorb calculation yielded the same breakthrough curves. At higher Ni(II)EQBM (10−5 M), the model calculations with MCOTAC-sorb indicated a breakthrough which was shifted to later times by a factor of ∼5 compared with the use of the constant Kd approach. When sorption competition was included in the calculations, the magnitude of the influence depended on the sorption characteristics of the two competing sorbates and their respective concentrations. At background Fe(II) concentrations of 5.3 × 10−5 M, and a Ni(II)EQBM level of 10−7 M, the Ni(II) breakthrough time was ∼15 times earlier than in the absence of competition. At such Fe(II) concentrations the Ni(II) breakthrough curves at all source concentrations less than 3.5 × 10−5 M (fixed by the NiCO3,S solubility limit) are the same i.e. Ni(II) exhibits linear (low) sorption. Competitive sorption effects can have significant influences on the transport of radionuclides through compacted bentonite i.e. reduce the migration rates. Since, for the case considered here, the Fe(II) concentration in the near field of a high-level radioactive waste repository may change in time and space, the transport of bivalent transition metal radionuclides can only be properly modelled using a multi-species reactive transport code which includes a sorption model.

A considerable amount of work has been carried out over the past several years to develop mechanistic sorption models capable of describing and predicting the sorption of radionuclides on clay minerals over a wide range of conditions. The focus of these studies has been on montmorillonite and illite. Sorption edges and isotherms were measured for a large number of radionuclides with valences from II to VI on both systems and could be very well described by a relatively simple model, the 2 site protolysis non-electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) sorption model. The aim of this work is to test the capabilities of the model and associated model parameters to predict sorption isotherms of radionuclides measured in complex mineral/groundwater systems using a blind modelling procedure. The approach lying at the basis of the modelling methodology applied here is that by understanding the mechanistic sorption processes on single minerals, and developing models to describe them, this knowledge can be used to understand and quantitatively predict the uptake of radionuclides in complex mineral/groundwater systems, the so called "bottom-up" approach. The work here describes the results from such an approach tested on sorption isotherms measured on MX-80 bentonite (for Ni(II), Eu(III), Th(IV) and U(VI)) and on Opalinus Clay (for Ni(II), Co(II), Eu(III), Th(IV) and U(VI)).

The sorption of Cs on crushed and intact (non-crushed) Opalinus Clay (OPA) was studied. A Cs sorption isotherm was measured in a synthetic OPA pore water covering an equilibrium concentration (CCs,eq) range between 10−2 M and 10−9 M. The isotherms measured on crushed ( log K Cs K c selectivity coefficient of the Type II sites by 0.4 log units. At the highest Cs concentration an improvement can be achieved by considering sorption of Cs on other clay minerals present in OPA. The main result from this study is that in the case of cation exchange processes the exchange sites in the intact material are all available. This corroborates the common practice in performance assessment (PA) of applying batch sorption data obtained on dispersed systems to the intact rock for predicting the retention behaviour of radionuclides.

Almost invariably the compositions of porewaters given for highly compacted bentonite are calculated values because reliable water samples from compacted material are virtually impossible to obtain, even by squeezing under very high pressures. Assumptions and simplifications are made in the geochemical models used to perform such calculations and the predictions are seldom if ever tested. One of the main hypotheses in a recently proposed model for calculating the porewater in compacted bentonite was that the initial pH is determined by the state of the amphoteric surface hydroxyl groups, SOH type sites, on the montmorillonite component. The calculations indicated that the initial pH of the porewater is a value close to 8. The aims of the work reported here are to check the predictions of the model in terms of the pH, which is one of the most important parameters for any porewater, and the strong buffering effect of the SOH type sites. The concept behind the tests was to take a powdered bentonite and a background electrolyte (0.2 M CaCl 2 ) containing known quantities of acid or base (pH values between 1.5 and 12), mix them together at a high solid to liquid ratio (312 g L −1 ) and then allow them to react in the absence of air in a closed system. If the model concepts and parameter values are valid, then the model should be able to predict the pH measured in such experiments. The model calculations agreed well with the measured pH values and confirmed that it is highly likely that the SOH type sites determine the initial pH of the porewater in compacted bentonite systems. Further, these amphoteric surface hydroxyl groups at the edges of montmorillonite provide an extremely high buffer capacity in the compacted system for maintaining the bentonite porewater pH at a value of ∼8.

In this study the physico-chemical, titration and sorption characteristics of Na-illite du Puy (Na-illite) have been measured and modelled. Samples of illite, collected in the region of le Puy-en-Velay, France, were purified and conditioned to the Na-form and physico-chemically characterised. Potentiometric titrations on suspensions of the Na-illite were carried out using a batch backtitration technique in 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 M NaClO 4 background electrolytes from pH∼3 to ∼11.5 in an inert atmosphere glove box. The supernatant solutions from each titration experiment in each series were analysed for K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Si, Al, Fe and Mn. The titration data were modelled in terms of the protolysis of two amphoteric edge sites ( S W1 OH and S W2 OH) without an electrostatic term. Sorption edges (solid/liquid distribution ratios versus pH at trace sorbate concentrations and constant ionic strength) were determined for the transitions metals Ni(II) and Co(II), the lanthanide Eu(III), and the heavy metal Sn(IV) on Na-illite with NaClO 4 as the background electrolyte under anoxic conditions (CO 2 ⩽ 2 ppm, O 2 ⩽ 2 ppm). The study thus encompasses a broad range of metals with different thermodynamic characteristics and with valence states ranging from II to IV. The results from the modelling of the titration data, in combination with a non electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange sorption model were applied to quantitatively describe the uptake characteristics of the metals listed above on Na-illite. Since sorption edges were measured at trace concentrations, metal uptake was modelled as occurring on strong type sites ( S S OH) only. This sorption model, the two site protolysis non electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange model (2SPNE SC/CE model) had been previously developed and used to describe metal uptake on montmorillonite.

The safety case for radioactive waste repositories is, to a large extend based on the physical and chemical retention of radionuclides on clay minerals which are important constituents in both the man-made engineered barriers and in argillaceous host rock formations. The presence of carbonate, one of the most important inorganic ligands for lanthanide and actinide ions in groundwaters and clay porewaters, can have a significant influence on their sorption behaviour on clay minerals. The sorption of Eu(III) on Na-montmorillonite in the absence and the presence of carbonate was investigated in batch sorption experiments. In the presence of carbonate two sets of experimental conditions were investigated. Eu(III) sorption measurements were performed as a function of pH in equilibrium with atmosphericpCO2(=10−3.5 bar) and at a variablepCO2(=10−1.4to 10−3.4 bar). The sorption data were modelled using the 2 site protolysis non-electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange model. Both experimental data sets in the presence of carbon could be quantitatively modelled by including in the sorption model two additional surface complexation reactions on the strong sites forming ≡SSOEuCO30and ≡SSOEuOHCO3−surface complexes.

The migration of radioactive and chemical contaminants in clay materials and argillaceous host rocks is characterised by diffusion and retention processes. Valuable information on such processes can be gained by combining diffusion studies at laboratory scale with field migration tests. In this work, the outcome of a multi-tracer in situ migration test performed in the Opalinus Clay formation in the Mont Terri underground rock laboratory (Switzerland) is presented. Thus, 1.16 x 10(5) Bq/L of HTO, 3.96 x 10(3) Bq/L of Sr-85, 6.29 x 10(2) Bq/L of Co-60, 2.01 x 10(-3) mol/L Cs, 9.10 x 10(-4) mol/L I and 1.04 x 10(-3) mol/L Br were injected into the borehole. The decrease of the radioisotope concentrations in the borehole was monitored using in situ gamma-spectrometry. The other tracers were analyzed with state-of-the-art laboratory procedures after sampling of small water aliquots from the reservoir. The diffusion experiment was carried out over a period of one year after which the interval section was overcored and analyzed. Based on the experimental data from the tracer evolution in the borehole and the tracer profiles in the rock, the diffusion of tracers was modelled with the numerical code CRUNCH. The results obtained for HTO (H-3), I- and Br- confirm previous lab and in situ diffusion data. Anionic fluxes into the formation were smaller compared to HTO because of anion exclusion effects. The migration of the cations Sr-85(2+), Cs+ and Co-60(2+) was found to be governed by both diffusion and sorption processes. For Sr-85(2+), the slightly higher diffusivity relative to HTO and the low sorption value are consistent with laboratory diffusion measurements on small-scale samples. In the case of Cs+, the numerically deduced high diffusivity and the Freundlich-type sorption behaviour is also supported by ongoing laboratory data. For Co, no laboratory diffusion data were yet available for comparison; however, the modelled data suggests that Co-60(2+) sorption was weaker than would be expected from available batch sorption data. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of the experimental setup for obtaining high-quality diffusion data for conservative and sorbing tracers. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sorption edges and isotherms for Eu(III) uptake on Ca-montmorillonite and Na-illite in 0.066 mol/L Ca(ClO4)2 and 0.1 mol/L NaClO4 background electrolytes, respectively, were modelled using a quasi-mechanistic sorption model (the two site protolysis non electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) model). For both clay minerals the Eu sorption edges could be quantitatively modelled in the pH range ∼3 to ∼10 using cation exchange reactions for Eu3+/Na+ and Eu3+/Ca2+ and three surface complexation reactions on the strong sorption sites forming ≡SSOEu2+, ≡SSOEuOH+ and ≡SSOEu(OH)2° inner sphere complexes which appear successively with increasing pH. Time resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measurements of Cm(III) loaded Ca-montmorillonite and Na-illite were available from Part 1 of this work. De-convolution of the normalised fluorescence spectra measured at different pH values indicated three distinct Cm surface complexes, Cm complexes 1, 2 and 3 for both clay minerals, in agreement with model predictions, but with different distribution functions for the individual species. Under the assumption that Eu and Cm exhibit essentially the same hydrolysis and sorption behaviour, the Eu surface complexation constants were used to predict surface species distribution functions for Cm under the same experimental conditions used in the TRLFS measurements. Comparison of modelled and experimentally deduced species distributions indicated that for both clay minerals peak heights and widths of the three peaks did not correspond particularly well. It is shown that the calculated species distribution functions are sensitive to the values of the hydrolysis constants used in the calculations, whereas modelling the sorption edge measurements by applying the 2SPNE SC/CE approach is much less sensitive. By modifying the values of the hydrolysis constants within their uncertainty range and re-modelling the sorption edges, considerably better correspondence between the modelled and TRLFS species distribution functions was found. In particular, peak positions, heights and widths for the model predicted peaks for the ≡SSOCm2+ and ≡SSOCmOH+ species distribution, and those for Cm complexes 1 and 2 derived from TRLFS, were found to be very close for both clay minerals. However, discrepancies were still apparent between the profile for the calculated ≡SSOEu(OH)2° surface species and the Cm complex 3 species, especially in the case of Na-illite.

The source terms arising from radioactive/toxic metal waste repositories will contain a multitude of dissolved metal species, as do natural systems. The influence of sorption competition on the uptake of safety-relevant metals, and the effects this may have on transport rates to the biosphere, is an important repository performance assessment issue which has not, as yet, been resolved. The main aim of this work was to quantify the influence of competition between metals in different valence states on their individual sorption characteristics under conditions dominated by pH-dependent sorption. The sorption experiments were carried out on Na- and Ca-montmorillonites using various combinations and concentrations of Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Eu(III), Nd(III), Am(III), Th(IV), and U(VI). For metals sorbing at trace concentrations in a background electrolyte containing a competing metal up to mmolar concentrations, and pH values generally greater than 6, all of the experimental results were consistent with the observation that metals with similar chemistries (valence state, hydrolysis behavior) compete with one another, but metals with dissimilar chemistries do not compete, i.e., competition is selective. For example Eu, Nd, and Am exhibit unambiguous sorption competition effects, as do Ni, Co, and Zn. On the basis of the above preliminary criteria, competition between divalent transition metals and trivalent lanthanides, Th(IV), and U(VI) and between Th (IV) and U(VI) would not be expected, and this is found experimentally. In general, neither single-fixed-site capacity models nor two-site (strong/weak) models with fixed capacities, whether with or without electrostatic terms, are capable of modeling the spectrum of experimental results presented here. To explain the competitive effects observed it is proposed that multiple sets of strong sites exist as subsets of the 40 mmol kg−1 of weak sites present in the montmorillonite conceptual model. It is shown that if the 2SPNE SC/CE sorption model is extended to include multiple strong sites, and the average site capacity and protolysis constant values defined in previous publications are assigned to each of the sets of strong sites, then the model can be used to reproduce all of the experimental data, provided it can be specified which groups of metals are competitive and which are not.

In solution thermodynamics, and more recently in surface chemistry, it is well established that relationships can be found between the free energies of formation of aqueous or surface metal complexes and thermodynamic properties of the metal ions or ligands. Such systematic dependencies are commonly termed linear free energy relationships (LFER). A 2 site protolysis non-electrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE SC/CE) model has been used to model “in house” and literature sorption edge data for eleven elements: Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Eu(III), Am(III), Sn(IV), Th(IV), Np(V) and U(VI) to provide surface complexation constants for the strong sites on montmorillonite. Modelling a further 4 sets of sorption isotherms for Ni(II), Zn(II), Eu(III) and U(VI) provided complexation constants for the weak sites. The protolysis constants and site capacities derived for the 2SPNE SC/CE model in previous work were fixed in all of the calculations. Cation exchange was modelled simultaneously to provide selectivity coefficients. Good correlations between the logarithms of strong S K x −1 and weak W1 K x −1 site binding constants on montmorillonite and the logarithm of the aqueous hydrolysis constants OH K x were found which could be described by the following equations: Strong (≡S S OH) sites: log S K X − 1 = 8.1 ± 0.3 + ( 0.90 ± 0.02 ) log OH K X Weak (≡S W1 OH) sites: log W 1 K X − 1 = 6.2 ± 0.8 + ( 0.98 ± 0.09 ) log OH K X where x is an integer. Sorption data for heavy metals and actinides such as Pd(II), Pb(II), Pu(III), Zr(IV), U(IV), Np(IV), Pu(IV) and Pa(V), are important in safety studies for radioactive waste repositories and are either very poorly known or not available at all. The LFER approach was used to estimate surface complexation constants for these radionuclides on both site types. The surface protolysis constants, site capacity values, selectivity coefficients and surface complexation constants given in this work, coupled with the LFERs established for the strong and weak sites on montmorillonite, are considered to form a sound basis for a thermodynamic sorption database.

The influence of water-extractable organic matter from 6 Opalinus Clay (OPA) samples from Mont Terri and Benken (Switzerland) on the sorption of Ni(II), Eu(III) and Th(IV) has been measured using an ion exchange technique. OPA is considered to be one of the potential host rocks for the deep geological disposal of high-level and long-lived intermediate-level radioactive waste in Switzerland. Within the range of estimated uncertainties, no significant differences in sorption were observed in most cases as compared with suitable synthetic waters devoid of organic C. Only in certain individual cases were slight reductions in sorption (less than a factor of 5) for Eu(III) and Ni(II) found. The results of accompanying laser fluorescence spectroscopy experiments did not show any influence of the extracts on Cm(III) speciation. This would suggest that the reduction of sorption occasionally observed in the ion exchange experiments is probably not caused by the formation of complexes between the radionuclides and the organic matter in the extracts, but is rather due to an underestimation of systematic uncertainties. From these findings, and from UV–VIS spectroscopic characterisation of the organic matter in the extracts, it can be concluded that only a negligible fraction of the organic matter present may be in the form of humic or fulvic acids. It is consequently justified to put aside overly conservative assumptions with respect to the complexing behaviour of the organic matter used towards the metal ions investigated and their chemical analogues. In view of the site-specific character of the present study, these conclusions may not be arbitrarily applied to other geological formations considered as possible host rocks for the disposal of radioactive waste.

The isotope dilution technique using Na and Cs as index cations was used to determine the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of illite du Puy as a function of background electrolyte composition. The work showed, in accord with previous studies, that the CEC values were in the order Cs-CEC > Na-CEC. Sodium is commonly chosen as the index cation in CEC determinations using the isotope dilution method. The experimentally measured Na-CEC values for Na-illite increased from ∼75 to ∼200 meq kg−1 for NaClO4 concentrations in the range 5.6 × 10−4 to 1.25 × 10−2 M. Cesium CEC determinations showed a much less pronounced trend over a CsNO3 concentration range from 10−3 to 10−2 M. A reference Cs-CEC value of 225 meq kg−1 was chosen. Careful chemical analyses of the supernatant solutions revealed that Ca and Mg at the (sub)umolar level were present in all the determinations, despite the extensive conditioning procedures used. Competition between (Ca + Mg) and Na for the exchange sites was put forward as an explanation for the variation of Na-CEC values. This hypothesis was confirmed in a series of single (45Ca) and double (45Ca plus 22Na) labeling experiments. Calcium-sodium selectivity coefficients ( $(_{{\rm{Na}}}^{{\rm{Ca}}}{{\rm{K}}_{\rm{c}}})$ ) were calculated from the experimental data for NaClO4 concentrations from 5.6 × 10−4 to 0.1 M and exhibited a variation from 1.6 to 14.3. A two-site cation exchange model was developed with site capacities and $_{{\rm{Na}}}^{{\rm{Ca}}}{{\rm{K}}_{\rm{c}}}$ values for each site: planar site capacity =180 meq kg−1, $_{{\rm{Na}}}^{{\rm{Ca}}}{\rm{K}}_{\rm{c}}^{{\rm{PS}}} = 2$ ; type II site capacity = 45 meq kg−1, $_{{\rm{Na}}}^{{\rm{Ca}}}{\rm{K}}_{\rm{c}}^{{\rm{II}}} = 80$ . The model was able to predict the Na and Ca occupancies in the Na-CEC experiments over the whole range of NaClO4 concentrations. It is recommended that Cs should be used instead of Na as the index cation for determining the CEC of illite.

Compacted bentonites are being considered in many countries as a backfill material in high-level radioactive waste disposal concepts. A knowledge of the porewater chemistry in the clay barrier is essential since the porewater composition influences the release and transport of the radionuclides. However, quantification of the water chemistry in compacted bentonite under repository conditions is difficult. The methodology followed to obtain the porewater composition of the FEBEX bentonite is described in this paper. It is based on the characterisation of the solid phase, determination of the physico-chemical properties of the montmorillonite component and geochemical modelling. The FEBEX bentonite has a high cation exchange capacity (∼1 eq/kg), high surface area (∼725 m 2 /g total surface area and 62 m 2 /g external surface area) and accessory minerals such as carbonates, sulphates, pyrite, etc.; and organic matter. The chloride inventory in the FEBEX bentonite is ∼22 mmol/kg. The montmorillonite, together with the other mineral phases present, will determine the composition of the porewater. However, in order to calculate a unique aqueous chemistry, two further quantities are required, the chloride concentration and the pH. Water vapour adsoption/desorption isotherms, together with c -lattice spacing determinations, were used to identify the different states and location of water. Most of the water in the as received bentonite resides in the interlayer space. However, the measurements indicate that about 0.053 l/kg may be regarded as free water , implying a chloride concentration of 0.42 M. The pH of the system is fixed by equilibrium with the atmosphere ( P CO 2 =10 −3.5 bar) and saturation with the carbonate phases present. The porewater calculated to be in equilibrium with the as received FEBEX bentonite powder is a Na–Ca–Mg chloride type with a high ionic strength, 0.66 M, and a pH of ∼7.4. Likewise, in order to calculate the porewater composition of compacted re-saturated bentonite, the volume of free water is required. This value is taken to be the chloride accessible porosity obtained from Cl − through-diffusion tests (due to anion exclusion, Cl − anions can not move through the interlayer and overlapping double layer regions). The amount of free water in compacted bentonite determined in this manner was 0.03 l/kg at a dry density of ρ d =1650 kg/m 3 . The corresponding chloride concentration is thus ∼0.73 M. Arguments are presented that the initial pH is fixed in the compacted material by the high buffering capacity afforded by the amphoteric edge sites, SOH sites, of the montmorillonite. The pH of the porewater depends directly on the speciation of these sites, i.e., the proportions of sites present as SOH, SOH 2 + , SO − , and this is fixed in the powdered source material through equilibration with air (compaction will not alter the state of the SOH sites). The porewater of compacted FEBEX bentonite at ρ d =1650 kg/m 3 was calculated to be a Na–Ca–Mg chloride type with a high ionic strength, 0.90 M, and a pH of ∼7.4.

International audience; The nature of surface complexes formed on Ni uptake onto montmorillonite (a dioctahedral smectite) has been investigated over an extended time period by polarized extended X-ray absorption fine structure (P-EXAFS) spectroscopy. Self-supporting films of Ni-sorbed montmorillonite were prepared by contacting Ni and montmorillonite at pH 7.2, high ionic strength (0.3 M NaClO 4), and low Ni concentration ([Ni] initial = 19.9 μM) for 14- and 360-d reaction time. The resulting Ni concentration on the clay varied from 4 to 7 μmol/g. Quantitative texture analysis indicates that the montmorillonite particles were well orientated with respect to the plane of the film. The full width at half maximum of the orientation distribution of the c* axes of individual clay platelets about the normal to the film plane was 44.3° (14-d reaction time) and 47.1° (360-d reaction time). These values were used to correct the coordination numbers determined by P-EXAFS for texture effects. Ni K-edge P-EXAFS spectra were recorded at angles between the incident beam and the film normal equal to 10, 35, 55, and 80°. Spectral analysis led to the identification of three nearest cationic subshells containing 2.0 ± 0.5 Al at 3.0 Å and 2.0 ± 0.5 Si at 3.12 Å and 4.0 ± 0.5 Si at 3.26 Å. These distances are characteristic of edge-sharing linkages between Al and Ni octahedra and of corner-sharing linkages between Ni octahedra and Si tetrahedra, as in clay structures. The angular dependence of the Ni-Al and Ni-Si contributions indicates that Ni-Al pairs are oriented parallel to the film plane, whereas Ni-Si pairs are not. The study reveals the formation of Ni inner-sphere mononuclear surface complexes located at the edges of montmorillonite platelets and thus that heavy metals binding to edge sites is a possible sorption mechanism for dioctahedral smectites. Data analysis further suggests that either the number of neighboring Al atoms slightly increases from 1.6 to 2 or that the structural order of the observed surface complexes increases from 0.01 Å 2 to 0.005 Å 2 with increasing reaction time. On the basis of the low Ni-Al coordination numbers, it appears that over an extended reaction time period of 1 yr the diffusion of Ni atoms in the octahedral layer is not the major uptake mechanism of Ni onto montmorillonite.

International audience; Wet chemistry kinetics and powder and polarized extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS and P-EXAFS) spectroscopy were combined to investigate the mechanism of Ni uptake on montmorillonite, at pH 8, high ionic strength (0.2 M Ca(NO 3) 2), initial Ni concentration of 660 μM, and solid concentration of 5.3 g/L. Approximately 20% of Ni sorbed within the first 24 h; thereafter, the Ni uptake rate slowed, and 12% of the initial Ni concentration remained in solution after 206 d of reaction time. Powder EXAFS spectra collected on wet pastes at 1, 14, 90, and 206 d showed the presence of Ni-Ni pairs at ∼3.08 Å in an amount that gradually increased with time. Results were interpreted by the nucleation of a Ni phase having either an α-Ni-hydroxide- or a Ni-phyllosilicate-like local structure. The latter possibility was confirmed by recording P-EXAFS spectra of a highly textured, self-supporting montmorillonite film prepared in the same conditions as the wet samples and equilibrated for 14 d. The orientation distribution of the c*-axes of individual clay particles off the film plane, as measured by quantitative texture analysis, was 32.8° full width at half maximum, and this value was used to correct from texture effect the effective numbers of Ni and Si nearest neighbors determined by P-EXAFS. Ni atoms were found to be surrounded by 2.6 ± 0.5 Ni atoms at 3.08 Å in the in-plane direction and by 4.2 ± 0.5 Si atoms at 3.26 Å in the out-of-plane direction. These structural parameters, but also the orientation and angular dependence of the Ni and Si shells, strongly support the formation of a Ni phyllosilicate having its layers parallel to the montmorillonite layers. The neoformation of a phyllosilicate on metal uptake on montmorillonite, documented herein for the first time, has important geochemical implications because this dioctahedral smectite is overwhelmingly present in the environment. The resulting sequestration of sorbed trace metals in sparingly soluble phyllosilicate structure may durably decrease their migration and bioavailability at the Earth's surface and near surface.

The 2-site protolysis no electrostatics surface complexation and cation exchange (2SPNE/CE) model used in previous work to model the sorption of Ni and Zn on Na- and Ca-montmorillonites was applied to sorption edges and isotherms measured for Eu on these two montmorillonite forms. The aim was to further test the applicability of the sorption model on a trivalent element with a more complex aqueous chemistry. An additional reason for choosing Eu was that it is considered to be a good chemical analogue for other lanthanides and trivalent actinides. With site types, site capacities, and protolysis constants fixed at the values in the Ni/Zn studies, all of the measured sorption edge data could be modelled using cation exchange and the monodentate surface species, ≡SSOEu2+, ≡SSOEuOH+ and ≡SSOEu(OH)3−, on the strong site type. However, an additional modelling study showed that the same data were almost equally well described by considering bidentate surface complexes, (≡SSO)2Eu+ and (≡SSO)2Eu(OH)2−, and cation exchange. To model the sorption isotherm measurements up to pH = 7.2, only one additional weak site surface complex was required, ≡SW1OEu2+ for the monodentate case and (≡SW1O)2Eu+ for the bidentate case. Selectivity coefficients are given for Eu3+- Ca2+ and Eu3+- Na+ exchange on the planar sites and surface complexation constants for monodentate and bidentate Eu surface species on the edge sites of montmorillonite.

A three-site cation exchange model is proposed to describe the concentration dependent uptake of Cs on natural argillaceous rock systems. Major premises in the model are that the sorption of Cs is dominated by the illite mineral component in the rock and that there is a fixed relationship between the site capacities of the three site types denoted as frayed edge, type II and planar sites. The definition of a “reference illite” with a cation exchange capacity of 0.2 equiv. kg-1 allows the three site capacities to be fixed in the model calculations over the weight fraction of illite in the argillaceous rocks. Up to Cs equilibrium concentrations of ∼10-3 M sorption occurs predominantly on the frayed edge and type II sites (higher affinity sites), with the planar site type playing only a minor role. Competition with Cs for sorption on the former two site types arises predominantly from monovalent cations such as K, Rb and NH4 which have low hydration energies. H and Na (except at high concentrations) are considerably less competitive and bivalent cations such as Mg, Ca and Sr are effectively non-competitive. A consistent set of selectivity coefficients for Cs with respect to K, Rb, NH4 and Na was derived from analyses and modelling of a wide range of Cs sorption data available in the open literature on pure illites from many different sources. The model was tested against four Cs sorption isotherm data sets determined on argillaceous rocks: Boom clay, Oxford clay, Palfris marl and Opalinus clay. The water chemistries and illite contents given in these experiments allowed the Cs sorption isotherms to be predicted. It is concluded that the Cs sorption model presented here, in which there are no free parameters, can be used to predict the uptake of Cs at equilibrium concentrations below ∼10-3 M to within a factor of 2 to 3 in natural argillaceous rock systems.

A natural illite (illite du Puy) was purified and converted to the homo-ionic Na form. The conditioned Na–illite was characterised in terms of its mineralogy, chemical inventory, and surface properties. The structural formula was determined from EDS analyses (SEM/TEM) and bulk chemistry. A cation exchange capacity of 127 mEq/kg was determined by the Na isotope dilution method at neutral pH. The sorption of Cs was measured as a function of NaClO 4 background electrolyte concentration (1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 M), Cs concentration and pH in the range ≈3 to ≈10. Before obtaining these measurements the kinetics of Cs uptake were determined at initial concentrations of 2 × 10 −8 M and 7 × 10 −5 M, representing the extremes of the range investigated, and was found to be concentration dependent. The supernatant solutions after centrifugation were analysed for major cations in all of the sorption tests. A two-site cation exchange model was developed to describe the sorption of Cs over the whole range of experimental conditions. The two-site types were termed frayed edge sites, FES (high affinity/low capacity) and type II sites (low affinity/high capacity). At low NaClO 4 concentrations, Cs sorption decreased at pH values less than neutral. This was interpreted in terms of competitive effects from H, and K released by the partial dissolution of illite, which cannot be avoided at low and high pH values. Selectivity coefficient values for Cs–Na, Cs–K, K–Na, and H–Na exchange equilibria on the FES sites, and Cs–Na exchange on the type II sites are given for illite together with the corresponding site capacities.

In some previous work titration and Ni/Zn sorption edge/isotherm measurements carried out under a wide variety of experimental conditions on purified Na-montmorillonite were modelled in terms of cation exchange and surface complexation mass action equations. A major objective of the experimental/modelling programme is to understand and predict sorption in commercial bentonite systems. Since montmorillonite is the dominant clay mineral in bentonite and is often present in a mixed Na/Ca form, a natural extension to the previous investigations was to study Ni/Zn sorption on a conditioned Ca-montmorillonite. An important open question was whether the same basic parameters such as site types, site capacities, and acidity constants could be used for both materials and to see to what extent the Ni and Zn surface complexation constants were influenced by the form of the montmorillonite. Sorption edges for Ni and Zn at different Ca(NO3)2 background electrolyte concentrations, together with sorption isotherms measured over a range of pH values, are presented and modelled using the MINSORB code. The parameters characterising the sorption of Ni and Zn on Na- and Ca-montmorillonite systems are compared. Finally, examples are given that illustrate how the modelling can provide insight into the sorption processes.

The vast majority of sorption data used in performance assessment studies for radioactive waste repository concepts has been generated from small-scale laboratory batch sorption measurements on crushed rock samples. Since these data will mainly be used to describe the sorption on the in situ bulk rocks in safety studies, a justifiable and defensible procedure for making the transfer of sorption values from the laboratory data to data appropriate to the field conditions is required. At the present time, a generally accepted methodology for doing this is lacking, and little or no work is being carried out internationally on this important area. The question of whether the act of crushing is intrinsically likely to lead to higher sorption values than for intact rock because the area available for sorption has been increased is addressed here. The approach is based on comparing N 2 -BETsu1fiace area measurements on intact and crushed single minerals and rocks. Results are presented which indicate that the clay mineral content of the rock is critically important in this respect, whereas the influence of the rock porosity is only of minor consequence.

Argillaceous sediments are being investigated in many countries as potential host rock formations for the disposal of high level radioactive waste. Quantification of the water chemistry in such formation is often difficult because the groundwater flow rates are so low that reliable samples for chemical analysis cannot be obtained. A physicochemical characterisation procedure for rock samples combined with geochemical modelling is described which allows porewater composition to be determined in low porosity/permeability clay rich systems. The methodology was applied to core samples of Opalinus clay within the framework of an international investigation being carried out at Mt. Terri, Canton Jura, Switzerland.

In this paper experimental investigations into the acid/base titration characteristics of Na-montmorillonite and the sorption behaviour of Ni and Zn under a wide variety of conditions are presented. From these measurements the dominant sorption mechanisms could be deduced. In the following paper (Bradbury and Baeyens, 1997) the titration and sorption data are analysed to determine the parameters in cation exchange and surface complexation based models which together provide a quantitative description of the titration and sorption data. A conditioning procedure was applied to the SWy-1 Na-montmorillonite starting material in order to remove background metal impurities, soluble salts and sparingly soluble minerals which could influence titration and sorption measurements. The purified clay, in the homo-ionic Na form, was thoroughly physico-chemically characterised before carrying out batch titration measurements on suspensions in 0.1 and 0.5 M NaClO 4 . The influence of background impurities, not removed by the conditioning, and cation exchange processes on the form of the titration curves is discussed. Titration data can be analysed to yield site capacities and protonation/deprotonation constants for the amphoteric surface hydroxyl groups (≡SOH). The acid endpoint in the titration data was used to estimate an ≡SOH site capacity of 0.08 mol kg −1 . The sorption of Ni and Zn on conditioned Na-montmorillonite was studied at trace concentrations as a function of pH over a range from ∼ 3 to ∼ 10 to produce so-called “sorption edges”. In the case of Ni, such measurements were carried out as a function of the NaClO 4 background electrolyte concentration. In addition, sorption isotherms were determined for both nuclides at several fixed pH values in 0.1 M NaClO 4 . From the form of the “edges” it was deduced that two main sorption mechanisms were controlling the uptake of Ni and Zn onto the clay mineral; a pH-independent component, identified as cation exchange on the permanent charge sites, and a pH-dependent one, interpreted as surface complexation on the amphoteric surface hydroxyl groups. The non-linearity of the sorption isotherms indicated that at least two different ≡SOH type sites were contributing to the overall sorption on Na-montmorillonite.

Titration and sorption edge/isotherm measurements, carried out under a wide variety of conditions on Na-montmorillonite, were reported in Part I (Baeyens and Bradbury, 1997). These data are modelled here in terms of cation exchange and surface complexation mechanisms using a computer code called MINSORB. This code allowed the uptake of radionuclides by both mechanisms to be calculated simultaneously; also taking into account competitive reactions from other cations present. A stepwise iterative fitting/modelling procedure is described. For the case of Na-montmorillonite it is demonstrated that an electrostatic term in the surface complexation model is not required. From the modelling of the titration results, values for site capacities and protonation/deprotonation constants were deduced. These values were then fixed and used in all further surface complexation modelling of the sorption measurements. The main study was carried out with Ni, but impurity cations present in the system, particularly Zn, had to be examined in addition due to their competitive effects on Ni sorption. The surface complexation behaviour of Ni and Zn was investigated in detail to give intrinsic surface complexation constants on two of the ≡SOH type sites included in the model. The sorption of Mn is also considered, though in less detail, and estimated surface complexation constants for this element are presented. Cation exchange was included in all of the calculations. Measured selectivity coefficients for NiNa and ZnNa exchange reactions are given. The model, with the derived parameters, allowed all the experimental data from titration measurements through sorption edges to sorption isotherms to be quantitatively described.

Sorption of radionuclides onto the surfaces of minerals such as clays, oxides and carbonates, is a key process in retarding their migration in the environment. Two important uptake mechanisms (i) cation exchange and (ii) surface complexation, and their implementation in mass-action law based sorption models are presented. State-of-the-art spectroscopic techniques and their successful application to an improved molecular scale understanding of radionuclide uptake processes are illustrated in different case studies. The benefits of combining different approaches, e.g., macroscopic experiments, sorption modelling, spectroscopic techniques and simulation techniques, for a more realistic description of radionuclide behaviour at the mineralwater interface are discussed. Finally, the use of microprobe techniques for investigating the retention on natural heterogeneous rock samples is briefly addressed.

In the field of radioactive waste management, the sorption of radionuclides measured in batch experiments has been treated predominantly in terms of empirical parameters such as distribution ratios and isotherm equations. An alternative approach is to try to understand sorption from a mechanistic view point. Such an approach has intrinsic advantages over empirical methods when trying to justify and defend sorption values chosen for safety assessment analyses and when it is necessary to predict sorption under a variety of different conditions. In this paper the authors propose a general approach to the modeling of sorption in natural systems based on a surface complexation mechanism. The diffuse layer model was used to describe sorption on igneous rock forming minerals. Besides the radionuclide surface complexation reactions themselves, the two main processes influencing sorption are competition and chemical speciation. These two topics are quantitatively discussed. As an example, the model and model concepts are applied to experimental results taken from the open literature on the sorption of Np (2 x 10[sup [minus]11] M) as a function of pH (range 6 to 9.5) on a variety of minerals in an artificial deep nonsaline granite groundwater. In this modeling exercise there were no free fitting''more » parameters since all the values required in the surface complexation model were taken from data, or measurements, already existing in the open literature and then fixed. No parameters were derived from the experimental data being modeled. The calculated sorption curves are compared with the measured distribution coefficients.« less

A mechanistic understanding of transport phenomena in compacted clays is essential for the use of such materials as engineered barrier systems for the safe geological disposal of radioactive wastes. The present contribution is a first step in the development of an integrative treatment of the properties of tracer cations in compacted bentonites with respect to diffusion and sorption. The diffusion of 22Na and 85Sr in highly compacted montmorillonite and kaolinite is investigated as a function of the "external salt concentration" (NaClO4), i.e., of the solution in equilibrium with the clay. Consistent results were obtained from through-diffusion experiments and tracer profile analysis. Knowledge of genuine diffusion coefficients of the filter plates turned out to be crucial in cases where the diffusive resistance of the filter plates was similar to that of the clay. Diffusion coefficients formally calculated on the basis of the tracer concentration gradient in the external aqueous phase, and the sorption distribution ratios were found to decrease with increasing external salt concentration in the case of montmorillonite. In a logarithmic representation of these data, a slope of -1 was obtained for the monovalent 22Na, whereas the slope was -2 for the divalent 85Sr. In the case of kaolinite, diffusion coefficients were independent of the external salt concentration. It is postulated that the diffusion of the tracer cation through the interlayer water is the dominant pathway in compacted swelling clays under the experimental conditions tested. Effective diffusion coefficients, based on a tracer concentration gradient in the interlayer water of the clay, were found to be independent of the composition of the external aqueous phase. The latter gradient is assumed to be a function of the external salt concentration, according to a calculated distribution of the tracer cation between free pore water and the interlayer water via cation exchange.

The aim of this work was to investigate whether neoformed Ni-phyllosilicates can be observed and identified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in combination with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The investigations focused on Ni-phyllosilicates formed from Ni-doped montmorillonite. The reaction conditions (pH 8, [Ni]initial = 660 and 3300 µM, 0.2 M Ca(NO3)2) employed were similar to those used in previous polarized extended X-ray absorption fine structure (P-EXAFS) investigations of neoformed Ni-phyllosilicates in a Ni-montmorillonite system. The TEM investigations of Ni-doped montmorillonite revealed the presence of small, thin particles consisting of coherent stacks that yielded only three to five lattice fringes with spacings consistent with smectites. These small particles were neoformed phyllosilicates, based on the fact that the small particles were only observed in Ni-doped samples and their Ni content, as determined from EDS analysis, was high (up to 10 wt.% NiO). Furthermore, the particles did not possess the characteristic properties of montmorillonite particles, such as a 2:1 Si to Al ratio; instead these particles were rich in Si (up to 75 wt.% SiO2). Unlike montmorillonite, these particles did not contain any Fe. The particles were also significantly more resistant to electron beam damage than montmorillonite particles, and EXAFS measurements confirmed the presence of neoformed Ni-phyllosilicates. The TEM study further indicates the presence of a variety of additional minerals (e.g. cristobalite, halloysite) and an X-ray amorphous Si-rich phase. A Ni signal could only be detected in the latter phase at high Ni loadings (403 µmol/g), suggesting that Ni uptake at low metal loadings (

Sorption of Cm(III) and Eu(III) at trace concentrations onto Ca-montmorillonite (SWy-1) and Na-illite (Illite du Puy) has been studied under anaerobic conditions by batch sorption experiments and time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). Comparison of the results from spectroscopic and batch sorption experiments with Cm and Eu indicates the existence of outer-sphere complexes at pH 5 for both clay minerals. Five H2O/OH− molecules remain in the first metal ion coordination sphere of the sorbed Eu/Cm. Measured fluorescence lifetimes of sorbed Eu/Cm and peak deconvolution of Cm-spectra are consistent with the formation of surface complexes of the form ≡S-O-Eu/Cm(OH)x(2−x)(H2O)5−x. At pH ≥ 12 Cm becomes incorporated into a surface precipitate at the Ca-montmorillonite surface presumably composed of Ca(OH)2 or calcium silicate hydrate. A dramatic shift of the fluorescence emission band by more than 20 nm and a clear increase in the fluorescence lifetime suggests the almost complete displacement of coordinated H2O and OH−. The pH dependent Eu sorption data obtained in batch experiments are consistent with spectroscopic data on Eu and Cm within experimental uncertainties thus demonstrating the validity of Eu as a homologue for trivalent actinides. Parameterization of a two-site protolysis nonelectrostatic surface complexation and cation exchange model using the batch sorption data and spectroscopic results is discussed in Part 2 of this work.