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Quantification of Humic and Fulvic Acids in Humate Ores, DOC, Humified Materials and Humic Substance-Containing Commercial Products
Published on: March 18, 2022
Method to attenuate U(VI) mobility in acidic waste plumes using humic acids
Jiamin Wan1, Wenming Dong, Tetsu K Tokunaga
1Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, United States. jwan@lbl.gov
Environmental Science & Technology
|February 16, 2011
Summary
Humic acids (HAs) offer a sustainable solution for immobilizing acidic uranium (U) in groundwater plumes. This cost-effective, nontoxic treatment shows strong, irreversible binding, effectively remediating contaminated sites.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geochemistry
- Environmental Remediation
Background:
- Acidic uranium (U) groundwater plumes are a legacy of Cold War plutonium extraction and U mining.
- Existing in situ immobilization methods for acidic U are not sustainable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate humic acids (HAs) as a reagent for in situ uranium (U) immobilization in acidic groundwater plumes.
- To assess the long-term stability and effectiveness of HA treatment under simulated acidic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory batch experiments to determine HA adsorption onto aquifer sediments.
- Column experiments simulating contaminated groundwater flow through sediments treated with HA.
- Leaching tests with simulated acidic groundwater to evaluate U and HA desorption.
Main Results:
- Humic acids (HAs) adsorbed rapidly, strongly, and irreversibly onto aquifer sediments.
- HA addition significantly enhanced U adsorption capacity at pH below 5.0.
- HA-treatment immobilized 99% of U in column experiments, with no detectable U or HA desorption over 100 pore volumes.
Conclusions:
- Humic acid (HA) treatment is a promising in situ remediation strategy for acidic uranium (U) waste plumes.
- HAs are resistant to biodegradation, cost-effective, nontoxic, and easily applicable for subsurface remediation.
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