Factors influencing the transport of actinides in the groundwater environment. Final report
This report summarizes investigations of factors that significantly influence the transport of actinide cations in the groundwater environment. Briefly, measurements of diffusion coefficients for Am(III), Cm(III), and Np(V) in moist US soils indicated that diffusion is negligible compared to mass transport in flowing groundwater. Diffusion coefficients do, however, indicate that, in the absence of flowing water, actinide elements will migrate only a few centimeters in a thousand years. The remaining investigations were devoted to the determination of distribution ratios (K/sub d/s) for representative US soils, factors influencing them, and chemical and physical processes related to transport of actinides in groundwaters. The computer code GARD was modified to include complex formation to test the importance of humic acid complexing on the rate of transport of actinides in groundwaters. Use of the formation constant and a range of humic acid, even at rather low concentrations of 10/sup -5/ to 10/sup -6/ molar, significantly increases the actinide transport rate in a flowing aquifer. These computer calculations show that any strong complexing agent will have a similar effect on actinide transport in the groundwater environment. 32 references, 9 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Washington State Univ., Pullman (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT06-76EV73012
- OSTI ID:
- 5623964
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/EV/73012-T1; ON: DE83017480
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Migration of actinide elements in representative US soils
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Related Subjects
ACTINIDES
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
GROUND WATER
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
AMERICIUM
CATIONS
COMPLEXES
COMPUTER CODES
CURIUM
DIFFUSION
HUMIC ACIDS
MASS TRANSFER
NEPTUNIUM
SOILS
VALENCE
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUNCTIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONS
METALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
TRANSPLUTONIUM ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WATER
520301* - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)
510301 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Soil- (-1987)