Supporting soil remediation at Fernald by electron beam methods
Electron beam techniques have been used to characterize uranium-contaminated soils at the Fernald Site, Ohio. The major uranium phases have been identified by analytical electron microscopy (AEM) as uranyl phosphate (autunite), uranium oxide (uraninite), and uranium phosphite [U(PO{sub 3}){sub 4}]. Luminescence and X-ray absorption spectroscopy incorrectly identified uranium oxide hydrate (schoepite) as the major phase in Fernald soils. The solubilities of schoepite and autunite are very different, so a solubility-dependent remediation method selected for schoepite will not be effective for removing autunite. AEM is the only technique capable of precisely identifying unknown submicron phases. The uranium phosphite has been found predominantly at the incinerator site at Fernald. This phase has not been removed successfully by any of the chemical remediation technologies. We suggest that an alternative physical extraction procedure be applied to remove this phase.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 10125520
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/CMT/CP--80854; CONF-940225--34; ON: DE94006831
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Contaminant uranium phases and leaching at the Fernald site in Ohio
Distribution of uranium-bearing phases in soils from Fernald