Solubility of plutonium compounds and their behavior in soils

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5127991

Rai, Dhanpat; Serne, R J; Moore, D A

The solubilities of /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ (c) (crystalline) and /sup 239/Pu(OH)/sub 4/ (am) (amorphous) under natural environmental conditions were determined. These data were then used to predict the (i) nature of the solid phases present in contaminated soils, and (ii) total concentration of Pu that can be expected in soil solutions when these Pu solids are present. Based upon solubility measurements, an estimated value of the log K/sup c/ (equilibrium constant at room temperature and an approximate ionic strength of 0.0045) for the dissolution of /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/(c) (PuO/sub 2/(c) reversible PuO/sub 2//sup +/ + e/sup -/) was found to be -14.8. The estimated value of the log K/sup c/ for the dissolution of /sup 239/Pu(OH)/sub 4/(am) (Pu(OH)/sub 4/(am) reversible PuO/sub 2//sup +/ + 2 H/sub 2/O + e/sup -/) was found to be -12.8. Comparison of Pu concentration in equilibrium solutions of contaminated Hanford soils with the PuO/sub 2/(c) and Pu(OH)/sub 4/ (am) solubility lines suggested that Pu(OH)/sub 4/(am) was absent from all the samples and that two of the samples contained PuO/sub 2/(c). The presence of PuO/sub 2/(c) was also confirmed by x-ray diffraction of Pu particles isolated from one of the samples.

• Research Organization: Battelle, Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 5127991
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 44:3; ISSN SSSJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510301* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Soil-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EQUILIBRIUM
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM HYDROXIDES
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SCATTERING
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
SOLUBILITY
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES