Chemical and physical properties affecting strontium distribution coefficients of surficial-sediment samples at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho

Environmental Geology
By: , and 

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Abstract

 The U.S. Geological Survey and Idaho State University, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, conducted a study to determine strontium distribution coefficients (Kds) of surficial sediments at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Batch experiments using synthesized aqueous solutions were used to determine Kds, which describe the distribution of a solute between the solution and solid phase, of 20 surficial-sediment samples from the INEEL. The Kds for the 20 surficial-sediment samples ranged from 36 to 275 ml/g. Many properties of both the synthesized aqueous solutions and sediments used in the experiments also were determined. Solution properties determined were initial and equilibrium concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and strontium, pH and specific conductance, and initial concentrations of potassium and sodium. Sediment properties determined were grain-size distribution, bulk mineralogy, whole-rock major-oxide and strontium and barium concentrations, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. Solution and sediment properties were correlated with strontium Kds of the 20 surficial sediments using Pearson correlation coefficients. Solution properties with the strongest correlations with strontium Kds were equilibrium pH and equilibrium calcium concentration correlation coefficients, 0.6598 and –0.6518, respectively. Sediment properties with the strongest correlations with strontium Kds were manganese oxide (MnO), BET surface area, and the >4.75-mm-grain-size fraction correlation coefficients, 0.7054, 0.7022, and –0.6660, respectively. Effects of solution properties on strontium Kds were interpreted as being due to competition among similarly charged and sized cations in solution for strontium-sorption sites; effects of sediment properties on strontium Kds were interpreted as being surface-area related. Multivariate analyses of these solution and sediment properties resulted in r2 values of 0.8071 when all five properties were used and 0.8043 when three properties, equilibrium pH, MnO, and BET surface area, were used.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Chemical and physical properties affecting strontium distribution coefficients of surficial-sediment samples at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho
Series title Environmental Geology
DOI 10.1007/s002540050022
Volume 39
Issue 3-4
Year Published 2000
Language English
Publisher Springer
Publisher location Berlin, Germany
Description 16 p.
First page 411
Last page 426
Country United States
State Idaho
Other Geospatial Snake River Plain
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