Adsorption characteristics of uranium in soil horizons near tailings impoundment area
YANG Sheng1,, ZHANG Xiaowen1,2,,, ZHANG Lijiang1, WU Xiaoyan1,2, LI Mi1,2, WANG Liang3, HUANG Qianwen1 1.School of Resource & Environmental and Safety Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China 2.Key Laboratory of Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China 3.Hengyang Valin Steel Tube Co. Ltd., Hengyang 421001, China
Abstract:In this study, the adsorption mechanism and spatial distribution of U(Ⅵ) in the eluvial, illuvial and parent material horizon of a brown-red soil profile near a Uranium tailing impoundment in South China were discussed. The physical and chemical properties of the soil horizons were characterized by using surface area measurement, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscope, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effects of time, U(Ⅵ) initial concentration, pH, temperature, and particle sizes on U(Ⅵ) adsorption were investigated by static adsorption experiments. Thermodynamic and kinetic equations were used to simulate the adsorption process. The results showed that the maximum U(Ⅵ) adsorption capacities were 23.60, 22.82 and 13.05 mg·g?1 in the eluvial, illuvial and parent material horizon, respectively, at pH 6.2 for the former two horizons, pH 4.1 for the later one and 25 ℃. The isothermal adsorption models of the soil horizons were more consistent with the Langmuir equation (R2>0.999), and the kinetic adsorption process fitted better with the pseudo-second order kinetic model (R2>0.98). The different adsorption capacities towards U(Ⅵ) on each layer could be caused by the differences of their physico-chemical properties, such as weathering degree, Fe, Mn, Al, Ca, organic matter contents, pH and soil particle sizes. As the external uranium entered the soil profiles, it could accumulate in the surface layer of soil, and the content of uranium decreased with the decrease of depth. The results of this study can provide references for the prevention and control of external uranium or other heavy metal pollution in the soil profile. Key words:U(Ⅵ)/ near-surface disposal/ uranium tailing impoundment/ soil profile/ static adsorption.
图1时间对各土层吸附U(Ⅵ)的影响 Figure1.Effect of time on U(VI) adsorption in soil horizons
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1.School of Resource & Environmental and Safety Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China 2.Key Laboratory of Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China 3.Hengyang Valin Steel Tube Co. Ltd., Hengyang 421001, China Received Date: 2019-01-16 Accepted Date: 2019-04-19 Available Online: 2019-10-11 Keywords:U(Ⅵ)/ near-surface disposal/ uranium tailing impoundment/ soil profile/ static adsorption Abstract:In this study, the adsorption mechanism and spatial distribution of U(Ⅵ) in the eluvial, illuvial and parent material horizon of a brown-red soil profile near a Uranium tailing impoundment in South China were discussed. The physical and chemical properties of the soil horizons were characterized by using surface area measurement, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscope, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effects of time, U(Ⅵ) initial concentration, pH, temperature, and particle sizes on U(Ⅵ) adsorption were investigated by static adsorption experiments. Thermodynamic and kinetic equations were used to simulate the adsorption process. The results showed that the maximum U(Ⅵ) adsorption capacities were 23.60, 22.82 and 13.05 mg·g?1 in the eluvial, illuvial and parent material horizon, respectively, at pH 6.2 for the former two horizons, pH 4.1 for the later one and 25 ℃. The isothermal adsorption models of the soil horizons were more consistent with the Langmuir equation (R2>0.999), and the kinetic adsorption process fitted better with the pseudo-second order kinetic model (R2>0.98). The different adsorption capacities towards U(Ⅵ) on each layer could be caused by the differences of their physico-chemical properties, such as weathering degree, Fe, Mn, Al, Ca, organic matter contents, pH and soil particle sizes. As the external uranium entered the soil profiles, it could accumulate in the surface layer of soil, and the content of uranium decreased with the decrease of depth. The results of this study can provide references for the prevention and control of external uranium or other heavy metal pollution in the soil profile.