Processes affecting transport of uranium in a suboxic aquifer

James A. Davis, Gary P. Curtis, Michael J. Wilkins, Matthias Kohler, Patricia Fox, David L. Naftz, Jonathan R. Lloyd

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    At the Naturita site in Colorado, USA, groundwaters were sampled and analyzed for chemical composition and by culture and culture-independent microbiological techniques. In addition, sediments were extracted with a dilute sodium carbonate solution to determine quantities of labile uranium within the sediments. Samples from the upgradient portion of the contaminated aquifer, where very little dissolved Fe(II) is found in the groundwater, have uranium content that is controlled by U(VI) adsorption and few metal-reducing bacteria are observed. In the extreme downgradient portion of the aquifer, where dissolved Fe(II) is observed, uranium content of the sediments includes significant quantities of reduced U(IV) and diverse populations of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria were present in the subsurface with the potential of reducing U(VI) to U(IV). © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)548-555
    Number of pages7
    JournalPhysics and Chemistry of the Earth
    Volume31
    Issue number10-14
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2006

    Keywords

    • Bacteria
    • Iron
    • Reduction
    • Sediments
    • Sorption
    • Uranium

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