Controls on soluble Pu concentrations in PuO2/magnetite suspensions

Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Nov 6;46(21):11610-7. doi: 10.1021/es3028956. Epub 2012 Oct 24.

Abstract

Time-dependent reduction of PuO(2)(am) was studied over a range of pH values in the presence of aqueous Fe(II) and magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles. At early time frames (up to 56 days) very little aqueous Pu was mobilized from PuO(2)(am), even though measured pH and redox potentials, coupled to equilibrium thermodynamic modeling, indicated the potential for significant reduction of PuO(2)(am) to relatively soluble Pu(III). Introduction of Eu(III) or Nd(III) to the suspensions as competitive cations to displace possible sorbed Pu(III) resulted in the release of significant concentrations of aqueous Pu. However, the similarity of aqueous Pu concentrations that resulted from the introduction of Eu(III)/Nd(III) to suspensions with and without magnetite indicated that the Pu was solubilized from PuO(2)(am), not from magnetite.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Europium / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Iron / chemistry
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Neodymium / chemistry
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxides / chemistry*
  • Plutonium / chemistry*
  • Suspensions
  • Water Pollutants, Radioactive / chemistry

Substances

  • Magnetite Nanoparticles
  • Oxides
  • Suspensions
  • Water Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Neodymium
  • Europium
  • Plutonium
  • Iron