skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Uranyl Peroxide Nanocluster (U60) Persistence and Sorption in the Presence of Hematite

Journal Article · · Environmental Science and Technology

The presence of uranium-based nanomaterials in environmental systems may significantly impact our current understanding of the fate and transport of U(VI). Sorption of the uranyl peroxide nanocluster [(UO2)(O2)(OH)]6060– (U60) to hematite (α-Fe2O3) was studied using batch sorption experiments with varying U60, hematite, and alkali electrolyte (i.e., NaCl, KCl, and CsCl) concentrations. Data from electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and centrifugal microfiltration revealed that U60 persisted in the presence of hematite and the background electrolyte for at least 120 days. K+ ions were removed from solution with uranium whereas Li+ ions remained in solution, indicating that the U60 cluster behaved like an anion and that the Li+ ions did not play a significant role in the sorption mechanism. Analysis of the reacted mineral surface using X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopies confirmed the presence of U(VI) and uranyl species with bridged peroxo groups associated with the mineral surface. These results indicate that uranyl peroxide nanoclusters may persist in the aqueous phase under environmentally relevant conditions for reasonably long periods of time, as compared to that of the uranyl cation.

Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC), Washington, D.C. (United States). Materials Science of Actinides (MSA)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0001089
OSTI ID:
1470352
Journal Information:
Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 52, Issue 5; Related Information: MSA partners with University of Notre Dame (lead); University of California, Davis; Florida State University; George Washington University; University of Michigan; University of Minnesota; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oregon state University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Savannah River National Laboratory; ISSN 0013-936X
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 13 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (31)

Environmental Speciation of Actinides journal June 2012
Uranium(VI) sorption on iron oxides in Hanford Site sediment: Application of a surface complexation model journal September 2008
Surface catalysis of uranium(VI) reduction by iron(II) journal October 1999
Chemical Reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II) at the Solid−Water Interface Using Natural and Synthetic Fe(III) Oxides journal August 2005
Molecular characterization of uranium(VI) sorption complexes on iron(III)-rich acid mine water colloids journal November 2006
Removal of uranium (VI) from aqueous solution by adsorption of hematite journal February 2009
Nanoscale Size Effects on Uranium(VI) Adsorption to Hematite journal March 2009
Extraction of uranyl peroxo clusters from aqueous solution by mesoporous silica SBA-15 journal November 2014
A comprehensive comparison of transition-metal and actinyl polyoxometalates journal January 2012
Clusters of Actinides with Oxide, Peroxide, or Hydroxide Bridges journal October 2012
Hierarchy of Pyrophosphate-Functionalized Uranyl Peroxide Nanocluster Synthesis journal April 2017
Uranyl peroxide enhanced nuclear fuel corrosion in seawater journal January 2012
Nuclear Fuel in a Reactor Accident journal March 2012
Single-Crystal Time-of-Flight Neutron Diffraction and Magic-Angle-Spinning NMR Spectroscopy Resolve the Structure and 1 H and 7 Li Dynamics of the Uranyl Peroxide Nanocluster U 60 journal July 2017
Symmetry versus Minimal Pentagonal Adjacencies in Uranium-Based Polyoxometalate Fullerene Topologies journal March 2009
Experimental measurements of U60 nanocluster stability in aqueous solution journal May 2015
Uranyl Peroxide Cage Cluster Solubility in Water and the Role of the Electrical Double Layer journal January 2017
Uranyl−Peroxide Interactions Favor Nanocluster Self-Assembly journal November 2009
Selective Permeability of Uranyl Peroxide Nanocages to Different Alkali Ions: Influences from Surface Pores and Hydration Shells journal November 2015
Raman Spectroscopic and ESI-MS Characterization of Uranyl Peroxide Cage Clusters journal January 2014
Raman spectroscopy of iron oxides and (oxy)hydroxides at low laser power and possible applications in environmental magnetic studies journal June 2009
Vibrational Spectroscopic Characterization of Hematite, Maghemite, and Magnetite Thin Films Produced by Vapor Deposition journal September 2010
A consistent method for quantitative XPS peak analysis of thin oxide films on clean polycrystalline iron surfaces journal September 1997
XPS spectra of uranyl minerals and synthetic uranyl compounds. I: The U 4f spectrum journal May 2009
The Isoelectric Points of Solid Oxides, Solid Hydroxides, and Aqueous Hydroxo Complex Systems journal April 1965
Insights for size-dependent reactivity of hematite nanomineral surfaces through Cu2+ sorption journal August 2006
Sorption of uranium(VI) at the clay mineral–water interface journal October 2010
Cation-Dependent Hierarchical Assembly of U60 Nanoclusters into Macro-Ion Assemblies Imaged via Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy journal December 2015
Thermal Responsive Ion Selectivity of Uranyl Peroxide Nanocages: An Inorganic Mimic of K + Ion Channels journal April 2016
Counterion Interaction and Association in Metal-Oxide Cluster Macroanionic Solutions and the Consequent Self-Assembly journal February 2011
Selective Monovalent Cation Association and Exchange around Keplerate Polyoxometalate Macroanions in Dilute Aqueous Solutions journal June 2010

Cited By (1)

Evidence for non-electrostatic interactions between a pyrophosphate-functionalized uranyl peroxide nanocluster and iron (hydr)oxide minerals journal January 2019