Interaction of selenite with reduced Fe and/or S species: An XRD and XAS study

•Se(IV) can be reduced to low soluble Se(0) upon interaction with Fe(II) or S(− II) in solution.•Se(IV) is reductively immobilized by FeS in suspension at surface sulfide sites.•In deep nuclear waste disposal sites the radionuclide 79Se(IV) will likely be reductively immobilized in the near field.

In this study, we investigated the interaction between selenite and either Fe(II)aq or S(− II)aq in solution, and the results were used to investigate the interaction between Se(IV)aq and FeS in suspension. The reaction products were characterized by a combination of methods (SEM, XRD and XAS) and the reaction mechanisms were identified. In a first experiment, Se(IV)aq was reduced to Se(0) by interaction with Fe(II)aq which was oxidized to Fe(III), but the reaction was only partial. Subsequently, some Fe(III) produced akaganeite (β-FeOOH) and the release of proton during that reaction decreased the pH. The pH decrease changed the Se speciation in solution which hindered further Se(IV) reduction by Fe(II)aq. In a second experiment, Se(IV)aq was quantitatively reduced to Se(0) by S(− II)aq and the reaction was fast. Two sulfide species were needed to reduce one Se(IV), and the observed pH increase was due to a proton consumption. For both experiments, experimental results are consistent with expectations based on the oxidation reduction potential of the various species. Upon interaction with FeS, Se(IV)aq was reduced to Se(0) and minute amounts of pyrite were detected, a consequence of partial mackinawite oxidation at surface sulfur sites. These results are of prime importance with respect to safe deep disposal of nuclear waste which contains the long-lived radionuclide 79Se. This study shows that after release of 79Se(IV) upon nuclear waste matrix corrosion, selenite can be reduced in the near field to low soluble Se(0) by interaction with Fe(II)aq and/or S(− II)aq species. Because the solubility of Se(0) species is significantly lower than that of Se(IV), selenium will become much less (bio)available and its migration out of deep HLW repositories may be drastically hindered.

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