Structural characterization of U(VI) surface complexes on kaolinite in the presence of humic acid using EXAFS spectroscopy.
To determine the influence of humic acid (HA), pH, and presence of atmospheric CO2 on the sorption of U(VI) onto kaolinite, the structure of the surface complexes was studied by U L III-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. The best fits to the experimental EXAFS data were obtained by including two uranium coordination shells with two axial (O ax) and five equatorial (O eq) oxygen atoms at 1.77+/-0.02 and 2.34+/-0.02 A, respectively, and two coordination shells with one Al/Si atom each at 3.1 and 3.3 A. As in the case of the binary system U(VI)-kaolinite, uranium forms inner-sphere surface complexes by edge sharing with aluminum octahedra and/or silicon tetrahe…
Plutonium(III) complexation by humic substances studied by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy
Abstract We determined structural parameters for the near-neighbor surrounding of plutonium(III) in complexes with humic and fulvic acids at pH 1 and for the purpose of comparison also for the plutonium(III) aquo ion by means of X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. It could be shown that in the complexes with humic substances as well as in the plutonium(III) aquo ion sample the trivalent oxidation state of plutonium was stable within the time of the experiment. In the humate and fulvate complexes, the plutonium(III) is surrounded by about eight oxygen atoms with an average Pu–O distance of 2.48 ± 0.02 A. The structural parameters determined for plutonium(III)–humate and –ful…
Study of the role of sulfur functionalities in humic acids for uranium(VI) complexation
Humic substances influence the speciation and migration behavior of toxic and radiotoxic metal ions, such as actinides, in the environment. Depending on their origin, humic substances contain different amounts of sulfur ranging from 0.1 to 3.6% and 0.5 to 1.43% in soil and aquatic humic substances, respectively [1]. Reduced, intermediately oxidized and highly oxidized sulfur functionalities occur in humic substances [1]. Although sulfur functionalities occur in small concentrations, they can play an important role in the complexation of selected metal ions. Knowledge about the impact of sulfur functionalities on the metal ion complexation by humic substances and their significance compared …