Influence of humic acid on the neptunium(V) sorption onto granite and its mineral constituents

To evaluate the influence of humic substances upon the extent of neptunium(V) sorption by granite, the sorption of neptunium(V) on granite in the absence and presence of humic acid was studied under anaerobic conditions as a function of pH in a series of batch equilibrium experiments. The neptunium and humic acid sorption onto the mineral constituents of granite (quartz, orthoclase, albite, biotite, and muscovite) was also studied to identify the mineral component which dominates the sorption of neptunium and humic acid on granite. The study showed that the neptunium sorption is affected by both the pH and the presence of humic acid. An increased mobility of neptunium was found between pH 7 and pH 11 in the presence of humic acid. As dominating mineral phase in the granite for the neptunium sorption, biotite was identified.