Citrate Enhanced Uranyl Adsorption on Goethite: An EXAFS Analysis

Authors: Redden G.¹; Bargar J.²; Bencheikh-Latmani R.³

Source: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Volume 244, Number 1, December 2001 , pp. 211-219(9)

Publisher: Academic Press

Abstract:

Citric acid promotes the adsorption of uranyl (U(VI) as UO₂²⁺) on goethite (-FeOOH) at pH5. Enhanced adsorption does not appear to follow a simple stoichiometric relationship between total citrate and total uranyl. An excess of citric acid relative to uranyl, or a high concentration of surface-bound citrate is required. An extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) study was conducted to help understand the surface interactions between citrate, UO₂²⁺, and goethite between pH 3.5 and pH 5.5. Two principal surface species were found to be necessary and sufficient to describe the uranyl EXAFS spectra for the range of adsorbed citrate concentrations studied. (The possibility of additional minor surface species has not been eliminated, but inherent uncertainties in the data do not permit their clear identification.) One species is identified as an inner-sphere, uranyl–goethite complex, which exists at pH 5.5 in the absence of citrate. A second species is interpreted to be an adsorbed uranyl + citrate complex, which displaces the binary uranyl–goethite complex as the concentration of adsorbed citrate increases. The EXAFS spectra from samples with intermediate adsorbed citrate concentrations were reproduced using linear combinations of the spectra from these two end-member species. The uranyl + citrate surface complex appears to dominate adsorbed uranyl speciation at ligand : metal ratios of 10 : 1, or when the total surface-bound citrate approaches saturation. Although the exact structural configuration for the uranyl + citrate surface complex cannot be identified at this time, coordination between uranyl and one or more citrate molecules appears to involve both a bidentate bond (four-membered ring structure) and a putative eight-membered ring structure. The distribution and type of surface species should provide useful constraints on the development of model simulations of surface complexation behavior in this system. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Language: English

Document Type: Editorial

Affiliations: 1: Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, MS 2208, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83415 2: Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Stanford, California, 94305 3: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305

Publication date: 2001-12-01

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Chemistry (General) ,  Physical & Theoretical Chemistry
• By this author: Redden G. ;  Bargar J. ;  Bencheikh-Latmani R.

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