Co-transport of U(VI) and bentonite colloids: Influence of colloidal gibbsite

Abstract Although various colloids co-exist in the environment, studies on the interaction between different kinds of inorganic colloids and their combined effects on radionuclide transport have scarcely been reported. In the present paper, the influence of colloidal gibbsite, a representative metal hydroxide in groundwater, on the transport of Na-bentonite colloids and their combined effects on U(VI) transport in saturated particulate granite columns were investigated. It was found that in the presence of the colloids, whether single Na-bentonite or the mixture of Na-bentonite and gibbsite, fewer pore volumes were needed for U(VI) breakthrough, indicating a colloid-facilitated U(VI) transport due to high binding affinity of uranyl for the colloids compared to granite. Meanwhile, the breakthrough curves of U(VI) were gradually flattened and the plateau of the curve for Na-bentonite was decreased as the concentration ratio of gibbsite to Na-bentonite increased from 1:10 to 1:6. Consequently, total recoveries of U(VI) and Na-bentonite decreased with more gibbsite in the mixed colloids. The inhibition effect of gibbsite colloids was ascribed to electrostatic interactions between positively charged surfaces of gibbsite colloids and negatively charged surfaces of bentonite colloids and granite granules. The electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged colloids led to an increase of mean size in the mixed suspension which declined colloid transport and the transport of colloid associated U(VI) as well. When the gibbsite-to-bentonite ratio was increased up to 1:5, the recoveries were obviously lower than those of single U(VI) and Na-bentonite transport. The results imply that positively charged materials may be further investigated as additives to decrease the loss of buffer material by groundwater erosion and the migration of radionuclide associated on bentonite colloids.