Determination of dissolved natural thorium and uranium in Horonobe and Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory groundwater and its thermodynamic analysis

Sasaki, Takayuki*; Kokami, Takayuki*; Kobayashi, Taishi*; Kirishima, Akira*; Murakami, Hiroaki  ; Amano, Yuki   ; Mizuno, Takashi   ; Iwatsuki, Teruki  ; Sasamoto, Hiroshi   ; Miyakawa, Kazuya   

Trace amounts of natural thorium and uranium in deep groundwater were investigated at two underground research laboratories situated at Horonobe and Mizunami, Japan. The groundwater was sampled from underground boreholes, and the colloid contribution was checked by in situ two size-fractionated ultrafiltration systems. A decrease in the concentration after in situ filtration suggested the presence of natural colloids and suspended matter that were carriers of a portion of the elements. The result of the Th and U concentrations in groundwater after 10 kDa filtration was analyzed thermodynamically using existing hydrogeological and geochemical data such as the mineral components in the groundwater at a given pH, ionic strength, concentration of co-existing ions, redox potential, and solid phase assumed. A crystalline solid phase made the solubility very low compared with that of the amorphous phase, and the solubility agreed well with the concentrations measured.