The preferences of uranium: Radionuclide's adsorption in Hanford Site sediments varies based on grain size
Tuesday, October 25, 2011 - 08:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Uranium prefers petite particles. The radionuclide attaches quickly and abundantly to smaller subsurface grains, according to scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The team found that gravel and other large bits adsorbed less uranium(IV) than smaller grains. The larger particles also adsorbed uranium more slowly than the smaller ones. Using this information, the team wrote a series of mathematical formulas to predict uranium adsorption and desorption affinity and kinetics in sediments containing different grain sizes. The predictions were successfully tested using sediment from the Hanford Site.
