Speciation of tetravalent uranium with inorganic ligands in aqueous solution investigated by UV/vis and time-resolved laser-fluorescence measurements.


Speciation of tetravalent uranium with inorganic ligands in aqueous solution investigated by UV/vis and time-resolved laser-fluorescence measurements.

Lehmann, S.; Steudtner, R.; Brendler, V.

This work is focused on uranium as the major component of spent nuclear fuel. For safety assessment of a future repository it is important to predict the environmental behavior of uranium in diluted to highly saline aquifer systems. Currently most reports are related to the hexavalent oxidation state which is stable under oxidizing conditions. However, reducing conditions are expected in the near field of high level nuclear waste repository after sealing the repository. Therefore, the major purpose of this study is to improve the knowledge of the physico-chemical properties of the tetravalent uranium and to provide thermodynamic data to enable a better prediction of speciation and solubility limits under reducing conditions.
The aim of this study is to examine the potential of U(IV) fluorescence for speciation studies. Kirishima et al. described in 2004 for the first time the luminescence spectra of the free U(IV) ion [1, 2]. Since then, only a few studies on U(IV) fluorescence properties have been published [3, 4]. However, spectroscopic data of U(IV) are necessary to provide a basic understanding of the U(IV) speciation under environmental conditions. We used in our study a combination of UV/vis spectroscopy with long path flow cell and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS).
First, a U(IV) stock solution was produced by reduction in an electrochemical cell and was monitored by UV/vis spectroscopy. The residual content of U(VI) was determined by TRLFS to be lower than 1%. After that, we studied the aqueous speciation in presence of various inorganic ligands (ClO4–, Cl–, SO42–, PO43–, CO32–). To perform TRLFS measurements of U(IV) a laser system employing a Nd/YAG driven OPO system as excitation source with λexc = 245 nm were installed including a cryogenic unit for measurements at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). We detected the luminescence of the free U(IV) ion in acidic aqueous solution at room temperature (rt) and in frozen state at 77 K. At rt we observe the typical fluorescence properties of U(IV) with the peak maxima at 321, 410 and 523 nm and a fluorescence decay time of 2.6 ± 0.3 ns in perchloric and chloric acid. The detection limit of 10–5 M at rt was determined. By using cryo-TRLFS at 77 K the detection limit was lowered to 5x10–6 M and the fluorescence lifetime increases up to 148.4 ± 6.5 ns. The spectroscopic results are in good agreement with earlier reports for rt [3] and cryo measurements [2]. In contrast to U(VI), which is often quenched by chloride, a well resolved luminescence spectrum of U(IV) was obtained in 0.1 as well as in 1 M HCl.
The potential of U(IV) fluorescence for speciation analysis was assessed in this study. With our setup we could study aqueous U(IV) systems with concentrations lower than 10–5 M and this corresponds to uranium concentrations occurring in the environment [5, 6].

References
[1] A. Kirishima, Chem. Commun., 2003, (7), 910-911.
[2] A. Kirishima, Radiochim. Acta, 2004, 92, 705-710.
[3] S. Lehmann, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 2010 283(2), 395-401.
[4] N. Aoyagi, N., J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 2015, 303(2), 1095-1098.
[5] T. Arnold, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 2011, 75(8), 2200-221.
[6] G. Bernhard, J. Alloys Compd., 1998, 271, 201-205.

Keywords: tetravalent uranium; aqueous solution; fluorescence; speciation

  • Lecture (Conference)
    Ninth International Conference on Nuclear and Radiochemistry - NRC9, 29.08.-02.09.2016, Helsinki, Finnland

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