Geochemical association of Pu and Am in selected host-phases of contaminated soils from the UK and their susceptibility to chemical and microbiological leaching.

Understanding the biogeochemical behaviour and potential mobility of actinides in soils and groundwater is vital for developing remediation and management strategies for radionuclide-contaminated land. Pu is known to have a high Kd in soils and sediments, however remobilization of low concentrations of Pu remains a concern. Here, some of the physicochemical properties of Pu and the co-contaminant, Am, are investigated in contaminated soils from Aldermaston, Berkshire, UK, and the Esk Estuary, Cumbria, UK, to determine their potential mobility. Sequential extraction techniques were used to examine the host-phases of the actinides in these soils and their susceptibility to microbiological leaching was investigated using acidophilic sulphur-oxidising bacteria. Sequential extractions found the majority of (239,240)Pu associated with the highly refractory residual phase in both the Aldermaston (63.8-85.5 %) and Esk Estuary (91.9-94.5%) soils. The (241)Am was distributed across multiple phases including the reducible oxide (26.1-40.0%), organic (45.6-63.6%) and residual fractions (1.9-11.1%). Plutonium proved largely resistant to leaching from microbially-produced sulphuric acid, with a maximum 0.18% leached into solution, although up to 12.5% of the (241)Am was leached under the same conditions. If Pu was present as distinct oxide particles in the soil, then (241)Am, a decay product of Pu, would be expected to be physically retained in the particle. The differences in geochemical association and bioleachability of the two actinides suggest that this is not the case and hence, that significant Pu is not present as distinct particles. These data suggest the majority of Pu in the contaminated soils studied is highly recalcitrant to geochemical changes and is likely to remain immobile over significant time periods, even when challenged with aggressive "bioleaching" bacteria.

Evaluation of diffusive gradients in thin-films using a Diphonix® resin for monitoring dissolved uranium in natural waters.

Commercially available Diphonix(®) resin (TrisKem International) was evaluated as a receiving phase for use with the diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) passive sampler for measuring uranium. This resin has a high partition coefficient for actinides and is used in the nuclear industry. Other resins used as receiving phases with DGT for measuring uranium have been prone to saturation and significant chemical interferences. The performance of the device was evaluated in the laboratory and in field trials. In laboratory experiments uptake of uranium (all 100% efficiency) by the resin was unaffected by varying pH (4-9), ionic strength (0.01-1.00 M, as NaNO3) and varying aqueous concentrations of Ca(2+) (100-500 mg L(-1)) and HCO3(-) (100-500 mg L(-1)). Due to the high partition coefficient of Diphonex(®), several elution techniques for uranium were evaluated. The optimal eluent mixture was 1M NaOH/1M H2O2, eluting 90% of the uranium from the resin. Uptake of uranium was linear (R(2)=0.99) over time (5 days) in laboratory experiments using artificial freshwater showing no saturation effects of the resin. In field deployments (River Lambourn, UK) the devices quantitatively accumulated uranium for up to 7 days. In both studies uptake of uranium matched that theoretically predicted for the DGT. Similar experiments in seawater did not follow the DGT theoretical uptake and the Diphonix(®) appeared to be capacity limited and also affected by matrix interferences. Isotopes of uranium (U(235)/U(238)) were measured in both environments with a precision and accuracy of 1.6-2.2% and 1.2-1.4%, respectively. This initial study shows the potential of using Diphonix(®)-DGT for monitoring of uranium in the aquatic environment.

Evaluation of DGT as a long-term water quality monitoring tool in natural waters; uranium as a case study.

The performance of the diffusive gradient in thin film technique (DGT) was evaluated as a tool for the long-term monitoring of water quality, using uranium as a case study. DGTs with a Metsorb™ (TiO2) sorbent were deployed consecutively at two alkaline freshwater sites, the River Enborne and the River Lambourn, UK for seven-day intervals over a five-month deployment period to obtain time weighted average concentrations. Weekly spot samples were taken to determine physical and chemical properties of the river water. Uranium was measured in these spot samples and after extraction from the DGT devices. The accuracy of the DGT device time weighted average concentrations to averaged spot water samples in both rivers was 86% (27 to 205%). The DGT diffusive boundary layer (DBL) (0.037-0.141 cm - River Enborne and 0.062-0.086 cm - River Lambourn) was affected by both water flow and biofouling of the diffusion surface. DBL thicknesses found at both sites were correlated with flow conditions with an R(2) value of 0.614. Correlations were also observed between the DBL thickness and dissolved organic carbon (R(2) = 0.637) in the River Lambourn, indicating the potential presence of a complex zone of chemical interactions at the surface of the DGT. The range of DBL thicknesses found at the River Lambourn site were also attributed to of the development of macro-flora on the active sampling surface, indicating that the DBL thickness cannot be assumed to be water flow dependant only. Up to a 57% under-estimate of uranium DGT concentration was observed compared to spot sample concentrations if the DBL was neglected. This study has shown that the use of DGT can provide valuable information in environmental monitoring schemes as part of a 'tool-box' approach when used alongside conventional spot sampling methods.

Evaluation of DGT techniques for measuring inorganic uranium species in natural waters: Interferences, deployment time and speciation.

Three adsorbents (Chelex-100, manganese dioxide [MnO(2)] and Metsorb), used as binding layers with the diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) technique, were evaluated for the measurement of inorganic uranium species in synthetic and natural waters. Uranium (U) was found to be quantitatively accumulated in solution (10-100µgL(-1)) by all three adsorbents (uptake efficiencies of 80-99%) with elution efficiencies of 80% (Chelex-100), 84% (MnO(2)) and 83% (Metsorb). Consistent uptake occurred over pH (5-9), with only MnO(2) affected by pH<5, and ionic strength (0.001-1molL(-1) NaNO(3)) ranges typical of natural waters, including seawater. DGT validation experiments (5 days) gave linear mass uptake over time (R(2)≥0.97) for all three adsorbents in low ionic strength solution (0.01M NaNO(3)). Validation experiments in artificial sea water gave linear mass uptake for Metsorb (R(2)≥0.9954) up to 12h and MnO(2) (R(2)≥0.9259) up to 24h. Chelex-100 demonstrated no linear mass uptake in artificial sea water after 8h. Possible interferences were investigated with SO(4)(2-) (0.02-200mgL(-1)) having little affect on any of the three DGT binding layers. PO(4)(3-) additions (5µgL(-1)-5mgL(-1)) interfered by forming anionic uranyl phosphate complexes that Chelex-100 was unable to accumulate, or by directly competing with the uranyl species for binding sites, as with MnO(2) and the Metsorb. HCO(3)(-) (0.1-500mgL(-1)) additions formed anionic species which interfered with the performance of the Chelex-100 and the MnO(2), and the Ca(2+) (0.1-500mgL(-1)) had the affect of forming labile calcium uranyl species which aided uptake of U by all three resins. DGT field deployments in sea water (Southampton Water, UK) gave a linear mass uptake of U over time with Metsorb and MnO(2) (4 days). Field deployments in fresh water (River Lambourn, UK) gave linear uptake for up to 7 and 4 days for Metsorb and MnO(2) respectively. Field deployment of the Metsorb-DGT samplers with various diffusive layer thicknesses (0.015-0.175cm) allowed accurate measurements of the diffusive boundary layer (DBL) and allowed DBL corrected concentrations to be determined. This DBL-corrected U concentration was half that determined when the effect of the DBL was not considered. The ability of the DGT devices to measure U isotopic ratios with no isotopic fractionation was shown by all three resins, thereby proving the usefulness of the technique for environmental monitoring purposes.

Biosensor-based diagnostics of contaminated groundwater: assessment and remediation strategy.

Shallow groundwater beneath a former airfield site in southern England has been heavily contaminated with a wide range of chlorinated solvents. The feasibility of using bacterial biosensors to complement chemical analysis and enable cost-effective, and focussed sampling has been assessed as part of a site evaluation programme. Five different biosensors, three metabolic (Vibrio fischeri, Pseudomonas fluorescens 10568 and Escherichia coli HB101) and two catabolic (Pseudomonas putida TVA8 and E. coli DH5alpha), were employed to identify areas where the availability and toxicity of pollutants is of most immediate environmental concern. The biosensors used showed different sensitivities to each other and to the groundwater samples tested. There was generally a good agreement with chemical analyses. The potential efficacy of remediation strategies was explored by coupling sample manipulation to biosensor tests. Manipulation involved sparging and charcoal treatment procedures to simulate remediative engineering solutions. Sparging was sufficient at most locations.