Dissolution of biogenic and synthetic UO2 under varied reducing conditions.

ABSTRACT: The chemical stability of biogenic UO2, a nanoparticulate product of environmental bioremediation, may be impacted by the particles' surface free energy, structural defects, and compositional variability in analogy to abiotic UO(2+x) (0 < or = x < or = 0.25). This study quantifies and compares intrinsic solubility and dissolution rate constants of biogenic nano-UO2 and synthetic bulk UO2.00, taking molecular-scale structure into account. Rates were determined under anoxic conditions as a function of pH and dissolved inorganic carbon in continuous-flow experiments. The dissolution rates of biogenic and synthetic UO2 solids were lowest at near neutral pH and increased with decreasing pH. Similar surface area-normalized rates of biogenic and synthetic UO2 suggest comparable reactive surface s

SUBMITTER: Ulrich KU 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2563044 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature