Spectroscopic evidence for uranium bearing precipitates in vadose zone sediments at the Hanford 300-area site.
Uranium (U) solid-state speciation in vadose zone sediments collected beneath the former North Process Pond (NPP) in the 300 Area of the Hanford site (Washington) was investigated using multi-scale techniques. In 30 day batch experiments, only a small fraction of total U (approximately 7.4%) was released to artificial groundwater solutions equilibrated with 1% pCO2. Synchrotron-based micro-X-rayfluorescence spectroscopy analyses showed that U was distributed among at least two types of species: (i) U discrete grains associated with Cu and (ii) areas with intermediate U concentrations on grains and grain coatings. Metatorbernite (Cu[UO2]2[PO4]2 x 8H2O) and uranophane (Ca[UO2]2[SiO3(OH)]2 x 5H2O) at some U discrete grains, and muscovite at U intermediate concentration areas, were identified in synchrotron-based micro-X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analyses revealed 8-10 microm size metatorbernite particles that were embedded in C-, Al-, and Si-rich coatings on quartz and albite grains. In mu- and bulk-X-ray absorption structure (mu-XAS and XAS) spectroscopy analyses, the structure of metatorbernite with additional U-C and U-U coordination environments was consistently observed at U discrete grains with high U concentrations. The consistency of the mu- and bulk-XAS analyses suggests that metatorbernite may comprise a significant fraction of the total U in the sample. The entrapped, micrometer-sized metatorbernite particles in C-, Al-, and Si-rich coatings, along with the more soluble precipitated uranyl carbonates and uranophane, likely control the long-term release of U to water associated with the vadose zone sediments.
Arai
Yuji
Y
Department of Entomology, Soils, and Plant Sciences, 270 Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0315, USA. yarai@clemson.edu
Marcus
M A
MA
Tamura
N
N
Davis
J A
JA
Zachara
J M
JM
D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*; D014861:Washington; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium