Formation of secondary Fe-oxyhydroxide phases during the dissolution of chlorite effect on uranium sorption


Formation of secondary Fe-oxyhydroxide phases during the dissolution of chlorite effect on uranium sorption

Krawczyk-Bärsch, E.; Arnold, T.; Reuther, H.; Brandt, F.; Bosbach, D.; Bernhard, G.

The formation of Fe-colloids resulting from the chemical weathering of chlorite (Mg5.5Al2.48Fe2+3.02Fe3+0.94)(Si5.33Al2.66)O20 was studied in batch experiments. The chemistry of the detected colloids was determined by SEM/EDS measurements on separated agglomerated colloids fixed on filter membranes. The results show that the Fe-colloids exist as aqueous colloids as well as sorbed colloids forming iron coatings on the chlorite platelets. It was also observed that the newly-formed Fe-colloids are preferentially attached to the {hk0} edge surfaces and only to a minor extent as isolated Fe-colloids to the {001} basal plane surfaces. The average surface coverage of sorbed Fe-colloids on the {hk0} edge surfaces was found to be 0,276 žm2 of sorbed Fe-colloids per 1 žm2 of {hk0} chlorite surface, i.e. 27,6 % of the {hk0} surfaces is covered with adsorbed Fe-colloids. This value is significantly higher than the surface coverage found on the {001} basal plane surfaces. Here, the average surface coverage of Fe-colloids on the {001} basal plane surfaces was determined to be 0,030 žm2 of sorbed Fe-colloids per 1 žm2 of {001} chlorite surface, i.e. 3,0 % of the {001} surface area is covered with sorbed Fe-colloids. This shows that there are nine times more Fe-colloids adsorbed onto the edge surfaces than on the basal plane surfaces.
The detected colloids were, based on their chemistry, their spherical character and small particles sizes, identified as ferrihydrite. In addition, Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements were used to quantify the increase of ferric iron which formed during the batch experiment. This detected increase in ferric iron in the chlorite from 14.0 to 15.3 % š 1% was attributed to the formation of ferrihydrite.
The assumption that the edge surfaces of sheet silicates show a much higher affinity for adsorption reactions was so far not conclusively proven. However, the results of this study clearly show that colloid adsorption on the sheet silicate chlorite preferentially takes place on the {hk0} edge surfaces indicating that the edge surfaces of sheet silicates are by far more reactive in regard to sorption reactions than the distinctively less reactive {001} basal plane surfaces. In addition, the influence of Fe-phases as weathering products on sorption processes in nature is discussed.

Keywords: chlorite; colloids; ferrihydrite; chemical weathering; coating

  • Applied Geochemistry, 19(2004)9, 1403-1412, DOI:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2004.01.017

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Publ.-Id: 4305