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Title: Modeling uranium transport in acidic contaminated groundwater with base addition

Abstract

This study investigates reactive transport modeling in a column of uranium(VI)-contaminated sediments with base additions in the circulating influent. The groundwater and sediment exhibit oxic conditions with low pH, high concentrations of NO{sub 3}{sup -}, SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, U and various metal cations. Preliminary batch experiments indicate that additions of strong base induce rapid immobilization of U for this material. In the column experiment that is the focus of the present study, effluent groundwater was titrated with NaOH solution in an inflow reservoir before reinjection to gradually increase the solution pH in the column. An equilibrium hydrolysis, precipitation and ion exchange reaction model developed through simulation of the preliminary batch titration experiments predicted faster reduction of aqueous Al than observed in the column experiment. The model was therefore modified to consider reaction kinetics for the precipitation and dissolution processes which are the major mechanism for Al immobilization. The combined kinetic and equilibrium reaction model adequately described variations in pH, aqueous concentrations of metal cations (Al, Ca, Mg, Sr, Mn, Ni, Co), sulfate and U(VI). The experimental and modeling results indicate that U(VI) can be effectively sequestered with controlled base addition due to sorption by slowly precipitated Al with pH-dependent surfacemore » charge. The model may prove useful to predict field-scale U(VI) sequestration and remediation effectiveness.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [2]
  1. Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  2. ORNL
  3. University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1015092
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Hazardous Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 190; Journal Issue: 1-3; Journal ID: ISSN 0304-3894
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; CATIONS; DISSOLUTION; HYDROLYSIS; ION EXCHANGE; KINETICS; PRECIPITATION; REACTION KINETICS; REINJECTION; SEDIMENTS; SIMULATION; SORPTION; SULFATES; TITRATION; TRANSPORT; URANIUM; Oak Ridge IFRC

Citation Formats

Zhang, Fan, Luo, Wensui, Parker, Jack C., Brooks, Scott C, Watson, David B, Jardine, Philip, and Gu, Baohua. Modeling uranium transport in acidic contaminated groundwater with base addition. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.04.022.
Zhang, Fan, Luo, Wensui, Parker, Jack C., Brooks, Scott C, Watson, David B, Jardine, Philip, & Gu, Baohua. Modeling uranium transport in acidic contaminated groundwater with base addition. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.04.022
Zhang, Fan, Luo, Wensui, Parker, Jack C., Brooks, Scott C, Watson, David B, Jardine, Philip, and Gu, Baohua. 2011. "Modeling uranium transport in acidic contaminated groundwater with base addition". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.04.022.
@article{osti_1015092,
title = {Modeling uranium transport in acidic contaminated groundwater with base addition},
author = {Zhang, Fan and Luo, Wensui and Parker, Jack C. and Brooks, Scott C and Watson, David B and Jardine, Philip and Gu, Baohua},
abstractNote = {This study investigates reactive transport modeling in a column of uranium(VI)-contaminated sediments with base additions in the circulating influent. The groundwater and sediment exhibit oxic conditions with low pH, high concentrations of NO{sub 3}{sup -}, SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, U and various metal cations. Preliminary batch experiments indicate that additions of strong base induce rapid immobilization of U for this material. In the column experiment that is the focus of the present study, effluent groundwater was titrated with NaOH solution in an inflow reservoir before reinjection to gradually increase the solution pH in the column. An equilibrium hydrolysis, precipitation and ion exchange reaction model developed through simulation of the preliminary batch titration experiments predicted faster reduction of aqueous Al than observed in the column experiment. The model was therefore modified to consider reaction kinetics for the precipitation and dissolution processes which are the major mechanism for Al immobilization. The combined kinetic and equilibrium reaction model adequately described variations in pH, aqueous concentrations of metal cations (Al, Ca, Mg, Sr, Mn, Ni, Co), sulfate and U(VI). The experimental and modeling results indicate that U(VI) can be effectively sequestered with controlled base addition due to sorption by slowly precipitated Al with pH-dependent surface charge. The model may prove useful to predict field-scale U(VI) sequestration and remediation effectiveness.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.04.022},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1015092}, journal = {Journal of Hazardous Materials},
issn = {0304-3894},
number = 1-3,
volume = 190,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}