Investigations into the formation of Np(IV) silica colloids

Knowledge of the migration and mobility of actinides is an important issue to predict potential release of radiotoxic elements from nuclear waste repositories. Under the reducing conditions expected for the disposal zone, the tetravalent form of the actinides An (An = Th, U, Np, Pu) is predominant. Due to the low solubility at neutral pH, An(IV) are considered as immobile under these conditions. Nevertheless, high environmental mobility has been found. This fact is related with the formation of An(IV) eigencolloids or the sorption on other colloids.

Here Neptunium(IV) forms silicate-containing colloids when the limit of solubility is exceeded in presence of soluble silicate.
The formation and stability of Np(IV)-silica colloids was investigated by EXAFS, liquid LSC, ICP-MS, UV-Vis spectroscopy and light scattering