Sorption behavior of thorium onto montmorillonite and illite

Iida, Yoshihisa ; Barr, L.; Yamaguchi, Tetsuji ; Hemmi, Ko 

Thorium (Th)-229 is one of the important radionuclides for the performance assessment calculations for high-level radioactive waste repositories. The sorption behavior of Th onto montmorillonite and illite were investigated by batch sorption experiments. Experiments were carried out under variable pH and carbonate concentrations. The sorbability of montmorillonite was higher than that of illite. Distribution coefficients, (m kg), decreased with increased carbonate concentrations and showed the minimal value at around pH 10. The sorption behaviors of Th were analyzed by the non-electrostatic surface complex model with PHREEQC computer program. The model calculations were able to explain the experimental results reasonably well. The decreases of was likely due to the stabilization of aqueous species by hydroxo-carbonate complexations in the solutions.