The objective of this project was the study of basic interaction processes in the systems actinide - clay organics - aquifer and actinide - natural clay - clay organics - aquifer. Thus, complexation, redox, sorption and diffusion studies were performed. To evaluate the influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur containing functional groups of humic acid (HA) on the complexation of actinides in comparison to carboxylic groups, the Am(III) and U(VI) complexation by model ligands was studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy and TRLFS. The results show that Am(III) is mainly coordinated via carboxylic groups, however, probably stabilized by nitrogen groups. The U(VI) complexation is dominated by carboxylic groups, whereas nitrogen and sulfur containing groups play a minor role. Phosphorus containing groups may contribute to the U(VI) complexation by HA, however, due to their low concentration in HA they play only a subordinate role compared to carboxylic groups. Applying synthetic HA with varying sulfur contents (0 to 6.9 wt.%), the role of sulfur functionalities of HA for the U(VI) complexation and Np(V) reduction was studied. The results have shown that sulfur functionalities can be involved in U(VI) humate complexation and act as redox-active sites in HA for the Np(V) reduction. However, due to the low content of sulfur in natural HA, its influence is less pronounced. In the presence of carbonate, the U(VI) complexation by HA was studied in the alkaline pH range by means of cryo-TRLFS (-120°C) and ATR FT-IR spectroscopy. The formation of the ternary UO2(CO3)2HA(II)4− complex was detected. The complex formation constant was determined with log β0.1 M = 24.57 ± 0.17. For aqueous U(VI) citrate and oxalate species, luminescence emission properties were determined by cryo-TRLFS and used to determine stability constants. The existing data base could be validated. The U(VI) complexation by lactate, studied in the temperature range 7 to 65°C, was found to be endothermic and entropy-driven. In contrast, the complex stability constants determined for U(VI) humate complexation at 20 and 40°C are comparable, however, decrease at 60°C. For aqueous U(IV) citrate, succinate, mandelate and glycolate species stability constants were determined. These ligands, especially citrate, increase solubility and mobility of U(IV) in solution due to complexation. The U(VI) sorption onto crushed Opalinus Clay (OPA, Mont Terri, Switzerland) was studied in the absence and presence of HA or low molecular weight organic acids, in dependence on temperature and CO2 presence using OPA pore water as background electrolyte. Distribution coefficients (Kd) were determined for the sorption of U(VI) and HA onto OPA with (0.0222 ± 0.0004) m3/kg and (0.129 ± 0.006) m3/kg, respectively. The U(VI) sorption is not influenced by HA (50 mg/L), however, decreased by low molecular weight organic acids (> 1×10-5 M), especially by citrate and tartrate. With increasing temperature, the U(VI) sorption increases both in the absence and in the presence of clay organics. The U(VI) diffusion in compacted OPA is not influenced by HA at 25 and 60°C. Predictions of the U(VI) diffusion show that an increase of the temperature to 60°C does not accelerate the migration of U(VI). With regard to uranium-containing waste, it is concluded that OPA is suitable as host rock for a future nuclear waste repository since OPA has a good retardation potential for U(VI).

The groundwater bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens (CCUG 32456) isolated at a depth of 70 m in the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory secretes a pyoverdin-mixture with four main components (two pyoverdins and two ferribactins). The dominant influence of the pyoverdins of this mixture could be demonstrated by an absorption spectroscopy study. The comparison of the stability constants of U(VI), Cm(III), and Np(V) species with ligands simulating the functional groups of the pyoverdins results in the following order of complex strength: pyoverdins (PYO) > trihydroxamate (DFO) > catecholates (NAP, 6­HQ) > simple hydroxamates (SHA, BHA). The pyoverdin chromophore functionality shows a large affinity to bind actinides. As a result, pyoverdins are also able to complex and to mobilize elements other than Fe(III) at a considerably high efficiency. It is known that EDTA may form the strongest actinide complexes among the various organic components in nuclear wastes. The stability constants of 1:1 species formed between Cm(III) and U(VI) and pyoverdins are by a factor of 1.05 and 1.3, respectively, larger compared to the corresponding EDTA stability constants. The Np(V)-PYO stability constant is even by a factor of 1.83 greater than the EDTA stability constant. The identified Np(V)-PYO species belong to the strongest Np(V) species with organic material reported so far. All identified species influence the actinide speciation within the biologically relevant pH range. The metal binding properties of microbes are mainly determined by functional groups of their cell wall (LPS: Gram-negative bacteria and PG: Gram-positive bacteria). On the basis of the determined stability constants raw estimates are possible, if actinides prefer to interact with the microbial cell wall components or with the secreted pyoverdin bioligands. By taking pH 5 as an example, U(VI)-PYO interactions are slightly stronger than those observed with LPS and PG. For Cm(III) we found a much stronger affinity to aqueous pyoverdin species than to functional groups of the cell wall compartments. A similar behavior was observed for Np(V). This shows the importance of indirect interaction processes between actinides and bioligands secreted by resident microbes.

Objective of this project was the study of interaction processes between humic substances, U(VI), Np(V) and kaolinite KGa-1b. It contributed to the attainment of a better process understanding, the improvement of the knowledge on the interaction of humic substances and metal ions and the enhancement of the thermodynamic database. With a synthetic humic acid (HA), N-containing functional groups of HA were characterized by 15N-NMR spectroscopy. Based on these results, model studies of the influence of amino groups on the complexation behavior of HA were performed. Spectroscopic studies with amino acids show that the amino group do not contribute to the U(VI) complexation at pH 4. The impact of kaolinite on the formation of HA and humic substance-kaolinite-sorbates was studied in model syntheses. The results exhibit that the presence of kaolinite during the syntheses mainly influences the yields on HA and their elemental compositions. Synthetic humic substance-kaolinite-sorbates were isolated. Under exclusion of CO2, the U(VI) complexation by HA was investigated at pH 7 by means of the conventional time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) and TRLFS with ultrafast pulses. Complexation parameters for the ternary complex UO2(OH)HA(I) were determined. Studies of the Np(V) reduction in presence of HA with different functionalities under anaerobic conditions have shown that Np(V) is reduced to Np(IV) by HA. The redox capacity depends on the HA functionality. Applying a modified HA it was verified that phenolic/acidic OH groups play a dominating role in the Np(V) reduction. The influence of HA on the U(VI) and Np(V) sorption onto kaolinite was investigated in batch experiments. In dependence on the experimental conditions, HA effects the sorption and consequently the mobility of U(VI) and Np(V). From studies of the U(VI) sorption onto synthetic humic substance-kaolinite-sorbates it was concluded that the structure and functionality of sorbed/associated humic substances considerably influence the sorption behavior of U(VI). The structure of U(VI)-kaolinite-surface complexes in presence of HA was studied by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and TRLFS and compared to those of U(VI)-kaolinite-complexes. Investigations of the migration of HA and U(VI) in the laboratory system kaolinite-water were carried out in diffusion experiments. The migration of HA in compacted clay is governed by diffusion and influenced by its colloidal properties. Humic substances exert an immobilizing effect on the U(VI) transport in compacted kaolinite.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:33:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:06:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:33:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:06:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O carvão ativado é um tipo comum de rejeito radioativo que contém elevada concentração de produtos de ativação e fissão. O gerenciamento deste rejeito inclui a sua caracterização, visando à determinação e quantificação dos radionuclídeos específicos, incluindo aqueles conhecidos como Radionuclídeos de Difícil Medição (RDM). A análise dos RDMs geralmente envolve análises radioquímicas complexas para purificação e separação dos radionuclídeos, as quais são caras e demandam muito tempo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi definir uma metodologia de análise sequencial de isótopos de urânio, netúnio, plutônio, amerício e cúrio, presentes em um tipo de rejeito radioativo, avaliando-se rendimento químico, tempo de análise, quantidade de rejeito secundário gerado e custo. Foram comparadas e validadas três metodologias que empregam a troca iônica (TI + EC), extração cromatográfica (EC) e extração com polímeros (ECP). O rejeito estudado foi o carvão ativado, proveniente do sistema de purificação de água do circuito primário de refrigeração do reator IEA-R1. As amostras de carvão foram dissolvidas por digestão ácida, seguida de purificação e separação dos isótopos com resinas de troca iônica, extração cromatográfica e extração com polímeros. Os isótopos foram analisados em um espectrômetro alfa, equipado com detectores de barreira de superfície. O rendimento químico de todos os elementos foi satisfatório para os métodos TI + EC e EC. Para o método ECP, apenas o rendimento químico do U foi comparável aos outros métodos. As análises estatísticas dos resultados bem como a análise de custo e volume de rejeito secundário gerado demonstraram que o método EC é o mais adequado para a identificação e quantificação dos isótopos estudados em carvão ativado. / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Objective of this project was the study of interaction processes between humic substances, U(VI), Np(V) and kaolinite KGa-1b. It contributed to the attainment of a better process understanding, the improvement of the knowledge on the interaction of humic substances and metal ions and the enhancement of the thermodynamic database. With a synthetic humic acid (HA), N-containing functional groups of HA were characterized by 15N-NMR spectroscopy. Based on these results, model studies of the influence of amino groups on the complexation behavior of HA were performed. Spectroscopic studies with amino acids show that the amino group do not contribute to the U(VI) complexation at pH 4. The impact of kaolinite on the formation of HA and humic substance-kaolinite-sorbates was studied in model syntheses. The results exhibit that the presence of kaolinite during the syntheses mainly influences the yields on HA and their elemental compositions. Synthetic humic substance-kaolinite-sorbates were isolated. Under exclusion of CO2, the U(VI) complexation by HA was investigated at pH 7 by means of the conventional time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) and TRLFS with ultrafast pulses. Complexation parameters for the ternary complex UO2(OH)HA(I) were determined. Studies of the Np(V) reduction in presence of HA with different functionalities under anaerobic conditions have shown that Np(V) is reduced to Np(IV) by HA. The redox capacity depends on the HA functionality. Applying a modified HA it was verified that phenolic/acidic OH groups play a dominating role in the Np(V) reduction. The influence of HA on the U(VI) and Np(V) sorption onto kaolinite was investigated in batch experiments. In dependence on the experimental conditions, HA effects the sorption and consequently the mobility of U(VI) and Np(V). From studies of the U(VI) sorption onto synthetic humic substance-kaolinite-sorbates it was concluded that the structure and functionality of sorbed/associated humic substances considerably influence the sorption behavior of U(VI). The structure of U(VI)-kaolinite-surface complexes in presence of HA was studied by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and TRLFS and compared to those of U(VI)-kaolinite-complexes. Investigations of the migration of HA and U(VI) in the laboratory system kaolinite-water were carried out in diffusion experiments. The migration of HA in compacted clay is governed by diffusion and influenced by its colloidal properties. Humic substances exert an immobilizing effect on the U(VI) transport in compacted kaolinite.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) frequently occur in the deep granitic rock aquifers at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory (Äspö HRL), Sweden. The new SRB strain Desulfovibrio äspöensis could be iso-lated. The objective of this project was to explore the basic interaction mechanisms of uranium, curium, neptunium and plutonium with cells of D. äspöensis DSM 10631T. The cells of D. äspöensis were successfully cultivated under anaerobic conditions as well in an optimized bicarbonate-buffered mineral medium as on solid medium at 22 °C. To study the interaction of D. äspöensis with the actinides, the cells were grown to the mid-exponential phase (four days). The collected biomass was usually 1.0±0.2 gdry weight/L. The purity of the used bacterial cultures was verified using microscopic techniques and by applying the Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Enzyme Analysis (ARDREA). The interaction experiments with the actinides showed that the cells are able to remove all four actinides from the surrounding solution. The amount of removed actinide and the interaction mechanism varied among the different actinides. The main U(VI) removal occurred after the first 24 h. The contact time, pH and [U(VI)]initial influence the U removal efficiency. The presence of uranium caused a damaging of the cell membranes. TEM revealed an accumulation of U inside the bacterial cell. D. äspöensis are able to form U(IV). A complex interaction mechanism takes place consisting of biosorption, bioreduction and bioaccumulation. Neptunium interacts in a similar way. The experimental findings are indicating a stronger interaction with uranium compared to neptunium. The results obtained with 242Pu indicate the ability of the cells of D. äspöensis to accumulate and to reduce Pu(VI) from a solution containing Pu(VI) and Pu(IV)-polymers. In the case of curium at a much lower metal concentration of 3x10-7 M, a pure biosorption of Cm(III) on the cell envelope forming an inner-sphere surface complex most likely with organic phosphate groups was detected. To summarize, the strength of the interaction of D. äspöensis with the selected actinides at pH 5 and actinide concentrations ≥10 mg/L ([Cm] 0.07 mg/L) follows the pattern: Cm > U > Pu >> Np.

Objective of this project was the study of basic interaction and migration processes of actinides in the environment in presence of humic acids (HA). To obtain more basic knowledge on these interaction processes synthetic HA with specific functional properties as well as 14C-labeled HA were synthesized and applied in comparison to the natural HA Aldrich. One focus of the work was on the synthesis of HA with distinct redox functionalities. The obtained synthetic products that are characterized by significantly higher Fe(III) redox capacities than Aldrich HA were applied to study the redox properties of HA and the redox stability of U(VI) humate complexes. It was confirmed that phenolic OH groups play an important role for the redox properties of HA. However, the results indicate that there are also other processes than the single oxidation of phenolic OH groups and/or other functional groups contributing to the redox behavior of HA. A first direct-spectroscopic proof for the reduction of U(VI) by synthetic HA with distinct redox functionality was obtained. The complexation behavior of synthetic and natural HA with actinides (Th, Np, Pu) was studied. Structural parameters of Pu(III), Th(IV), Np(IV) and Np(V) humates were determined by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The results show that carboxylate groups dominate the interaction between HA and actinide ions. These are predominant monodentately bound. The influence of phenolic OH groups on the Np(V) complexation by HA was studied with modified HA (blocked phenolic OH groups). The blocking of phenolic OH groups induces a decrease of the number of maximal available complexing sites of HA, whereas complex stability constant and Np(V) near-neighbor surrounding are not affected. The effects of HA on the sorption and migration behavior of actinides was studied in batch and column experiments. Th(IV) sorption onto quartz and Np(V) sorption onto granite and its mineral constituents are affected by the pH value and the presence of HA. HA exhibits a significant influence on the transport of U(IV) and U(VI) in a laboratory quartz sand system. In order to provide the basis for a more reliable modeling of the actinide transport, the metal ion complexation with HA has to be integrated into existing geochemical speciation codes. Within this project the metal ion charge neutralization model was embedded into the geochemical modeling code EQ3/6. In addition to that, a digital data base was developed which covers HA complexation data basing on the charge neutralization model.

The present knowledge of angular distributions of neutron-induced fission is limited to a maximal energy of 15 MeV, with large discrepancies around 14 MeV. Only 238U and 232Th have been investigated up to 100 MeV in a single experiment. The n_TOF Collaboration performed the fission cross section measurement of several actinides (232Th, 235U, 238U, 234U, 237Np) at the n_TOF facility using an experimental set-up made of Parallel Plate Avalanche Counters (PPAC), extending the energy domain of the incident neutron above hundreds of MeV. The method based on the detection of the 2 fragments in coincidence allowed to clearly disentangle the fission reactions among other types of reactions occurring in the spallation domain. I will show the methods we used to reconstruct the full angular resolution by the tracking of fission fragments. Below 10 MeV our results are consistent with existing data. For example in the case of 232Th, below 10 MeV the results show clearly the variation occurring at the first (1 MeV) and second (7 MeV) chance fission, corresponding to transition states of given J and K (total spin and its projection on the fission axis), and a much more accurate energy dependence at the 3rd chance threshold (14 MeV) has been obtained. In the spallation domain, above 30 MeV we confirm the high anisotropy revealed in 232Th by the single existing data set. I'll discuss the implications of this finding, related to the low anisotropy exhibited in proton-induced fission. I also explore the critical experiments which is valuable checks of nuclear data. The 237Np neutron-induced fission cross section has recently been measured in a large energy range (from eV to GeV) at the n TOF facility at CERN. When compared to previous measurements, the n TOF fission cross section appears to be higher by 5-7 % beyond the fission threshold. To check the relevance of n TOF data, we simulate a criticality experiment performed at Los Alamos with a 6 kg sphere of 237Np. This sphere was surrounded by enriched uranium 235U so as to approach criticality with fast neutrons. The simulation predicts a multiplication factor keff in better agreement with the experiment (the deviation of 750 pcm is reduced to 250 pcm) when we replace the ENDF/B- VII.0 evaluation of the 237Np fission cross section by the n TOF data. We also explore the hypothesis of deficiencies of the inelastic cross section in 235U which has been invoked by some authors to explain the deviation of 750 pcm. The large distortion that should be applied to the inelastic cross sections in order to reconcile the critical experiment with its simulation is incompatible with existing measurements. Also we show that the nubar of 237Np can hardly be incriminated because of the high accuracy of the existing data. Fission rate ratios or averaged fission cross sections measured in several fast neutron fields seem to give contradictory results on the validation of the 237Np cross section but at least one of the benchmark experiments, where the active deposits have been well calibrated for the number of atoms, favors the n TOF data set. These outcomes support the hypothesis of a higher fission cross section of 237Np.

Methods for the determination of the actinide elements in water, biological, soil and sediment samples have been developed using on-line solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Initial applications utilised a commercially available resin, namely TRU-Spec resin, for efficient removal of the matrix prior to elution of uranium and thorium analytes. Comparative analyses of reference materials and natural water samples from Plymouth and Dartmoor demonstrated significant improvement in precision and speed of analysis by using TRU-Spec coupled to ICP-MS compared with alpha spectrometry. Further applications of the TRU-Spec resin for the determination of the transuranic actinide elements neptunium, plutonium and americium, resulted in the successful determination of 239Pu and 237Np in biological reference materials. Detection limits were 700, 850, and 600 attograms (ag) for 237Np, 233Pu, and 241Am, respectively, for a 0.5 ml sample injection, and better than 200 ag/g with 50 ml pre-concentration when sector field (SF) ICP-MS was used. A method for the selective sequential elution of uranium and plutonium was also developed to facilitate the determination of 239Pu without interference due to the 238U1H+ polyatomic ion, caused by high concentrations of 238U in sediment samples. Investigations were performed into the use of a polymeric substrate, which was dynamically coated with chelating dyes such as xylenol orange and 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol, and a silica substrate coated with permanently bonded iminodiacetic acid. The latter was used for the successful determination of uranium and thorium in certified reference material waters. However, the column was found to have a high affinity for iron, making it unsuitable for the determination of the actinides in soil and sediment samples. Subsequently, a polystyrene substrate which was dynamically coated with dipicolinic acid was used for HPLC coupled with SF-ICP-MS. Using this column it was possible to separate the various actinides from each other and from the matrix. In particular, it was possible to separate plutonium and uranium to facilitate interference-free determination of the former. The column also exhibited some selectivity for different oxidation states of Np, Pu and U. Two oxidation states each for plutonium and neptunium were found, tentatively identified as Np(V) and Pu(III) eluting at the solvent front, and Np(IV) and Pu(IV) eluting much later. Detection limits were 12, 8, and 4 fg for 237Np, 239Pu, and 241Am, respectively, for a 0.5 ml injection, and the system was successfully used for the determination of 239Pu in water, biological and soil reference materials.