Numerical reproduction of dissolved U concentrations in a PO-treated column study of Hanford 300 area sediment using a simple ion exchange and immobile domain model

Saito, Tatsuo; Sato, Kazuhiko; Yamazawa, Hiromi*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 237, p.106708_1 - 106708_9, 2021/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106708

We succeeded at numerical reproduction of dissolved U concentrations from column experiments with PO-treated Hanford 300 Area sediment. The time-series curves of dissolved U concentrations under various Darcy flow rate conditions were reproduced by the numerical model in the present study through optimization of the following parameters:(i) the mass of U in mobile domain (on surface soil connected to the stream) and the rest of the total U left as precipitation in immobile domain (isolated in deep soil);(ii) the mixing ratio between immobile and mobile domains, to fit the final recovering curve of concentration; and (iii) the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and equilibrium constant (k) of the exchange reaction of UO and H on simulated soil surface (), to fit the transient equilibrium concentration, forming the bed of the bathtub curve.