Understanding actinide reactivity at the water-mineral interface


Understanding actinide reactivity at the water-mineral interface

Stumpf, T.

The behaviour of radionuclides in the environment is determined by interfacial reactions such as adsorption, ion exchange and incorporation processes. In literature such processes are often described by operational solid-liquid distribution ratios (Rd values). Distribution ratios are defined as the ratio of the quantity of a radionuclide sorbed per solid mass and the equilibrium concentration of the radionuclide. They are macroscopic parameters which are strictly valid only for the mineral and solute combination in the experimental system. For reliable and trustworthy long-term predictions of radionuclide transport behaviour, interaction mechanisms and processes occurring at the solid-water interface, they need to be understood at the molecular level. This can only be achieved by the application of spectroscopic methods.
In the talk a multi-spectroscopic approach will be presented. We used a combination of microscopy, laser and X-ray based techniques to gain process understanding on a molecular level of the interaction of actinides with mineral surfaces. The derived data are used to improve surface complexation modelling. Therefore, the advanced spectroscopic techniques used in Dresden-Rossendorf are an important contribution to the long-term performance assessment of a nuclear waste disposal.

Keywords: radionuclides; nuclear waste disposal

  • Invited lecture (Conferences)
    les Journées Nationales de Radiochimie et de Chimie Nucléaire (JNR) 2016, 08.-09.09.2016, Nice, Frankreich
  • Lecture (Conference)
    Frontiers in Environmental Radioactivity 2016, 06.-07.01.2016, London, United Kingdom

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Publ.-Id: 24902