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Engineered Mineralogical Interfaces as Radionuclide Repositories by G. B. Douglas; S. M. Reddy; D. W. Saxey; C. M. MacRae; N. A. S. Webster; L. J. Beeching is a Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology article available to read on EtoBox.

What is Engineered Mineralogical Interfaces as Radionuclide Repositories about?

## Abstract Effective capture of fugitive actinides and daughter radionuclides constitutes a major remediation challenge at legacy or nuclear accident sites globally. The ability of double-layered, anionic clay minerals known as hydrotalcites (HTC) to contemporaneously sequester a range of contaminants from solution offers a unique remedy. However, HTC do not provide a robust repository for actinide isolation over the long term. In this study, we formed HTC by in-situ precipitation in a barren lixiviant from a uranium mine and thermally transformed the resulting radionuclide-laden, nanoscale HTC. Atomic-scale forensic examination of the amorphized/recrystallised product reveals segregation of U to nanometre-wide mineral interfaces and the local formation of interface-hosted mineral grains. This U-phase is enriched in rare earth elements, a geochemical analogue of actinides such as Np and Pu, and represents a previously unreported radionuclide interfacial segregation. U-rich phases associated with the mineral interfaces record a U concentration factor of ~ 50,000 relative to the original solute demonstrating high extraction and concentration efficiencies. In addition, the co-existin

Who reads Engineered Mineralogical Interfaces as Radionuclide Repositories?

Author

G. B. Douglas; S. M. Reddy; D. W. Saxey; C. M. MacRae; N. A. S. Webster; L. J. Beeching

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Published

2023

Language

EN

Field

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)