Effect of Carbonate on the Migration Behavior of Lanthanides in Compacted Bentonite

Abstract

The apparent diffusion coefficients of La, Nd, Eu, Dy, Er, and Lu in compacted bentonites were investigated at various bicarbonate concentrations. The apparent diffusion coefficients of these lanthanides tended to decrease with increasing dry density. At bicarbonate concentrations below 0.25 M, lanthanum had the largest diffusion coefficient (ca. 10^-13 m²/s) at 1.0 Mg/m³, and the diffusion coefficient decreased with increasing atomic number. On the other hand, at bicarbonate concentrations above 0.25 M, lutetium had the largest diffusion coefficient, and the diffusion coefficient decreased with decreasing atomic number. In particular, lanthanum and neodymium had diffusion coefficients below 10^-14 m²/s, even at 1.0 Mg/m³. The diffusion coefficient of europium was around 10^-13 m²/s at 1.0 Mg/m³ and was influenced less by the bicarbonate concentration. The diffusion coefficient of lutetium increased from 2 × 10^-14 to 10^-12 m²/s as the bicarbonate concentration was increased to 1.0 M. The concentration of carbonate ion in the pore water of bentonite is estimated to be much lower than that in solutions in contact with bentonite from the viewpoints of solubility and chemical species of lanthanides.