Comparative study of Se oxyanions retention on three argillaceous rocks: Upper Toarcian (Tournemire, France), Black Shales (Tournemire, France) and Opalinus Clay (Mont Terri, Switzerland).

A comparative study of selenium oxyanion sorption was carried out by means of batch sorption experiments on three argillaceous rocks that differ in their mineralogical compositions and textural properties. The results show no selenate (Se(VI)) sorption onto the argillaceous rocks after 60 days, but clear sorption of selenite (Se(IV)), the extent being closely related to the initial Se(IV) concentration. At the lowest concentration ([Se(IV)]eq < 10(-8) mol L(-1)), the ranking of rock affinity for Se(IV) is Black Shales > Opalinus Clay (OPA) > Upper Toarcian, with Rd values of 910 ± 70, 600 ± 65 and 470 ± 70 mL g(-1) respectively.

How mobile is iodide in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystones under experimental conditions close to the in situ ones?

The iodide behaviour towards the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone was studied using batch and diffusion experiments under conditions which limited the artefacts cited in the literature to be responsible for the iodide uptake (i.e. the experiments were carried out under anoxic conditions with N(2)/CO(2) atmosphere with a monitoring of the iodine redox-state).