Formation of surface mediated iron colloids during U(VI) and nZVI interaction

Abstract

We investigated that removal of aqueous U(VI) by nano-sized Zero Valent Iron (nZVI) and Fe(II) bearing minerals (controls) in this study. Iron particles showed different U(VI) removal efficiencies (Mackinawite: 99%, green rust: 95%, nZVI: 91%, magnetite: 87%, pyrite: 59%) due to their different PZC(Point of Zero Charge) values and surface areas. In addition, noticeable amount of surface Fe(II) (181 μM) was released from nZVI suspension in 6 h and it increased to 384 μM in the presence of U(VI) due to ion-exchange of U(VI) with Fe(II) on nZVI surface. Analysis of Laser-Induced Breakdown Detection (LIBD) showed that breakdown probabilities in both filtrates by 20 and 200 nm sizes was almost 24% in nZVI suspension with U(VI), while 1% of the probabilities were observed in nZVI suspension without U(VI). It indicated that Fe(II) colloids in the range under 20 nm were generated during the interaction of U(VI) and nZVI. Our results suggest that Fe(II) colloids generated via ion-exchange process should be carefully concerned during long-term remediation site contaminated by U(VI) because U could be transported to remote area through the adsorption on Fe(II) colloids.