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An experimental and ab initio study on the abiotic reduction of uranyl by ferrous iron

Journal Article · · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
  2. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

It is important to understand the mechanisms controlling the removal of uranyl from solution from an environmental standpoint, particularly whether soluble Fe(II) is capable of reducing soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV). Experiments were performed to shed light into discrepancies of recent studies about precipitation of U-containing solids without changing oxidation states versus precipitation/reduction reactions, especially with respect to the kinetics of these reactions. To understand the atomistic mechanisms, thermodynamics, and kinetics of these redox processes, ab initio electron transfer (ET) calculations, using Marcus theory, were applied to study the reduction of U(VI)aq to U(V)aq by Fe(II)aq (the first rate-limiting ET-step). Outer-sphere (OS) and inner-sphere (IS) Fe–U complexes were modeled to represent simple species within a homogeneous environment through which ET could occur.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1700520
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA--153389
Journal Information:
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Vol. 156; ISSN 0016-7037
Publisher:
Elsevier; The Geochemical Society; The Meteoritical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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