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This study was undertaken to investigate the long-term performance of hydroxyapatite (HAP) as reactive material for the removal of uranium in passive groundwater remediation systems. 237U used as a radioindicator enabled tracking the movement of the contamination front through a test column without taking samples or dismantling the apparatus. The stoichiometric ratio between uranium and HAP was found to be 1:(487±19). Uranium removal by HAP is of pseudo first-order kinetics and the rate constant was measured to be (1.1±0.1)×10-3 s-1. HAP can sorb more than 2900 mg/kg uranium. Possible reaction pathways of uranium and HAP are discussed. The data obtained enable the calculation of ideal lifetime for permeable reactive barriers (PRB) using HAP for uranium removal neglecting hydrological factors that may impair the function of PRBs.
This study was undertaken to investigate the long-term performance of elemental iron as reactive material for the removal of uranium in passive groundwater remediation systems. By using 237U as a radioindicator it was possible to track the movement of the contamination front through a test column without taking samples or dismantling the apparatus. The stoichiometric ratio between uranium and iron was found to be 1:(1390±62). The reaction between iron and uranium is of pseudo first-order kinetics and the rate constant was measured to be (1.1±0.09)×10-3 s-1. These data enable the calculation of ideal lifetime for permeable reactive barriers (PRB) using iron for uranium removal neglecting hydrological factors that may impair the function of PRBs.
The present work shows that U can be effectively removed from groundwater using permeable reactive barriers with hydroxyapatite (HAP) as reactive material. The main factor influencing the removal processes is the composition of the groundwater, namely the concentration of Ca and carbonate. Sorption of U onto the HAP surface seems to be the dominant removal process with the possibility of remobilisation. Newly formed U-phosphate minerals were detected by ESEM/EDX and XRD in samples with high U content indicating either a dissolution-precipitation mechanism or sorption onto the apatite surface followed by alteration of the structure. The formed U-phosphate minerals are stable under common groundwater conditions and can be remobilised only at high pH-values and high carbonate concentrations.
Since it was realized that sites contaminated with metals and radionuclides needed treatment, various remediation methods have been and are being developed. Depending on the size of the contaminated site and urgency of intervention, conventional or recently introduced techniques have been used. Conventional techniques include excavation and removal for treatment of soil and contaminants, or the so-called “pump-and-treat” method, in which contaminated groundwater is removed from the ground by pumping and treated in a treatment plant on the surface. It has the advantage of using proven techniques and is easy to control, and the treated groundwater can be reinjected into the ground or discharged in rivers or lakes. Novel methods include permeable reactive barriers, biomineralization, and electrokinetic remediation.