Uranium

Nano to Macro-scale study on the uranium chemistry in the subsurface 

In many cases, past practices relating to the handling and storage of radioactive waste materials have resulted in extensive contamination of the subsurface by these elements, especially uranium (U). The mobility of U in groundwater is largely determined by its speciation and interaction with other aquatic constituents, including microorganisms, natural organic matter, inorganic ions and mineral surfaces. Such interactions may result in U adsorption, redox transformation, and precipitation, all of which influence the mobility, transport, and fate of U. Therefore, the identification of those processes is crucial for the understanding of U fate and developing the knowledgebase needed to solve critical environmental problems. Topics of interest are following:

• Characterization of U species under diverse geochemical conditions by laser and x-ray spectroscopy

• Selective quantification of aqueous U(VI) and U(IV) using laser spectroscopy under quenching conditions

• Molecular scale identification and quantification of U species on the mineral surface using synchrotron based x-ray spectroscopy

• Molecular dynamic simulation and quantum calculation to elucidate the molecular scale mechanism of U fate at water/mineral interfaces

• Laser based monitoring of real/pseudo colloids generation during interaction with U and abio-/bio-materials in environmental and engineered systems