Kinetics of Na- and K- uranyl arsenate dissolution.

We integrated aqueous chemistry analyses with geochemical modeling to determine the kinetics of the dissolution of Na and K uranyl arsenate solids (UAs) at acidic pH. Improving our understanding of how UAs dissolve is essential to predict transport of U and As, such as in acid mine drainage. At pH 2, NaH(UO)(AsO)(HO) (NaUAs) and KH(UO)(AsO)(HO) (KUAs) both dissolve with a rate constant of 3.

Isotopic Fingerprint of Uranium Accumulation and Redox Cycling in Floodplains of the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Uranium (U) groundwater contamination is a major concern at numerous former mining and milling sites across the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), USA, where U(IV)-bearing solids have accumulated within naturally reduced zones (NRZs). Understanding the processes governing U reduction and oxidation within NRZs is critical for assessing the persistence of U in groundwater. To evaluate the redox cycling of uranium, we measured the U concentrations and isotopic compositions (δU) of sediments and pore waters from four study sites across the UCRB that span a gradient in sediment texture and composition.

Field Application of U/U Measurements To Detect Reoxidation and Mobilization of U(IV).

Biostimulation to induce reduction of soluble U(VI) to relatively immobile U(IV) is an effective strategy for decreasing aqueous U(VI) concentrations in contaminated groundwater systems. If oxidation of U(IV) occurs following the biostimulation phase, U(VI) concentrations increase, challenging the long-term effectiveness of this technique. However, detecting U(IV) oxidation through dissolved U concentrations alone can prove difficult in locations with few groundwater wells to track the addition of U to a mass of groundwater.

Uranium Isotopic Fractionation Induced by U(VI) Adsorption onto Common Aquifer Minerals.

Uranium groundwater contamination due to U mining and processing affects numerous sites globally. Bioreduction of soluble, mobile U(VI) to U(IV)-bearing solids is potentially a very effective remediation strategy. Uranium isotopes (U/U) have been utilized to track the progress of microbial reduction, with laboratory and field studies finding a ∼1‰ isotopic fractionation, with the U(IV) product enriched in U.