Heterogeneous Reduction of Tc(VII) by Fe(II) at the Solid-Water Interface
Technetium-99 is a byproduct of uranium fission. It exists in two stable valence states (IV/VII) and exhibits a half-cell potential of intermediate value (Eo = 0.748 V). The oxidized form of 99Tc [pertechnetate, TcO4-] is an oxyanion that sorbs poorly to amphoteric surfaces and forms few solid phases with geochemically relevant cations. It is consequently highly mobile in oxic water-rock systems. The reduced valence state [Tc(IV)] is relatively insoluble (<10-8 mol L-1), and, hence immobile as an oxyhydroxide precipitate [TcO2•nH2O(s)]. In spite of favorable thermodynamics, Tc(VII) reacts slowly with Fe2+(aq) under anoxic conditions. Experiments were performed herein to investigate the rates and products of heterogeneous reduction of Tc(VII) by Fe(II) sorbed to hematite and goethite, and by structural Fe(II) in a dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) reduced natural phyllosilicate mixture containing vermiculite, illite, and muscovite. The heterogeneous reduction of Tc(VII) by Fe(II) sorbed to the Fe(III) oxides increased with increasing pH and was coincident with a second event of Fe2+(aq) adsorption. The reaction was almost instantaneous above pH 7. In contrast, the reduction rates of Tc(VII) by structural Fe(II) in the DCB-reduced phyllollsilicates, were not sensitive to pH or the concentration of ion-exchangeable Fe(II), and were orders of magnitude slower than observed for the Fe(III) oxides. Tc-EXAFS spectroscopy revealed that the reduction products were virtually identical on hematite and goethite that were comprised primarily of sorbed octahedral TcO2 monomers and dimers with significant Fe(III) in the second coordination shell. The nature of heterogeneous Fe(III) resulting from the redox reaction was ambiguous as probed by Tc-EXAFS spectroscopy, although Mössbauer spectroscopy applied to an experiment with 56Fe-goethite with adsorbed 57Fe(II) implied that redox product Fe(III) was goethite-like. The Tc(IV) reduction product formed on the DCB-reduced phyllosilicates was different from the Fe(III) oxides, and was more similar to Tc(IV) oxyhydroxide in its second coordination shell. The heterogeneous reduction of Tc(VII) to less soluble forms by sorbed and structural Fe(II) in anoxic environments may be a very important geochemical process that will proceed at very different rates and that will yield different surface species depending subsurface pH and mineralogy.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 928271
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-56929; GCACAK; TRN: US0804294
- Journal Information:
- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 72(6):1521-1539, Vol. 72, Issue 6; ISSN 0016-7037
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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