The influence of calcium, sodium and bicarbonate on the uptake of uranium onto nanoscale zero-valent iron particles

• We test the influence of Na, Ca and HCO3− on U removal onto nZVI.
• Ca, Na and HCO3− did not significantly inhibit initial U removal onto nZVI.
• Ca-bearing systems exhibited partial U desorption concurrent with nZVI oxidation.
• Ca-absent systems exhibited no U desorption concurrent with nZVI oxidation.
• Ca has a significant inhibitive influence on the long-term retention of U on nZVI.

This work investigates the influence of calcium (Ca), sodium (Na) and bicarbonate (HCO3−) on the uptake of uranium (U) onto nanoscale zero-valent iron particles (nZVI). Solutions tested contained U at 1 mg/L, NaHCO3 ranging from 0 to 100 mg/L and CaCl2 or NaCl ranging from 625 to 719 mg/L to normalise the ionic strength. Mine water containing a similar concentration of U (1.03 mg/L) and HCO3− at 845 mg/L was also tested as a natural analogue. All solutions were stored in sealed glass jars in the open laboratory with headspace comprising ambient air. Results demonstrate Ca, Na and HCO3− as having no significant inhibitive influence on the efficacy of nZVI for initial U removal from solution, with ⩾95.7% uptake recorded for all systems studied after 0.5 h reaction. Similar U retention (>97.1%) was recorded throughout the entire 672 h experiment for all solutions with Ca absent. In contrast, partial U desorption in the latter stages of the experiment was recorded for all solutions with Ca present, with 87.3%, 85.2% and 84.7% removal recorded after 672 h for solutions containing 0, 10 and 100 mg/L HCO3−, respectively, and 10.9% removal recorded for the mine water. Maximum U removal onto nZVI was recorded as directly proportional to HCO3− concentration for solutions with Ca absent, however, no trend was identified for the Ca-bearing solutions. Overall results demonstrate Ca as having a significant inhibitive influence on the long-term retention (e.g. >48 h) of U on nZVI, which is independent of HCO3− concentration when also present at <100 mg/L.