Uranyl sorption onto birnessite: A surface complexation modeling and EXAFS study

This work investigates the mechanism of the uranyl interaction with birnessite, one of the most common layer-type MnO2 mineral at the Earth's surface, by coupling macroscopic (surface complexation experiments) and microscopic (EXAFS measurements) approaches. The sorption of uranyl on synthetic hexagonal birnessite, the low-pH birnessite form, was studied under various conditions of pH (3–6), electrolyte backgrounds (0.1 M NaClO4, NaNO3 and Na2CO3), and solid/liquid ratios (from 0.27 to 4.5 g/L). Sorption isotherms exhibit a complex form indicative of at least two types of sorption sites. EXAFS data reveal the presence of two equatorial O shells at ca. 2.32 Å and 2.46 Å for all the samples, …