Characterization of Gorleben groundwater colloids by atomic force microscopy

Groundwater colloids from the Gorleben site (Lower Saxony, Germany) are characterized in the presence of Eu(III) by tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) with phase contrast imaging. Using a liquid cell the method allows investigations of samples being in contact with aqueous solution. This ensures that complex structures are kept in their native hydrated state. Different types of colloids and aggregates are found by AFM, e.g., spherical particles, fibrous structures, and structures which appear to be hollow. A partial coating of the edges of clay particles with humic colloids can be assumed from phase contrast images. Therefore, aquatic colloids and their aggregates found in Gorleben groundwater can be characterized as a complex mixture of components, which may influence the migration of groundwater contaminants in different processes.