Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Transport of uranium(VI) in red soil in South China: influence of initial pH and carbonate concentration

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Uranium-contaminated wastewater associated with uranium (U) mining and processing inevitably releases into soil environment. In order to assess the risk of U wastewater contamination to groundwater through percolation, U adsorption and transport behavior in a typical red soil in South China was investigated through batch adsorption and column experiments, and initial pH and carbonate concentration were considered of the high-sulfate background electrolyte solution. Results demonstrated that U adsorption isotherms followed the Freundlich model. The adsorption of U to red soil significantly decreased with the decrease of the initial pH from 7 to 3 in the absence of carbonate, protonation-deprotonation reactions controlled the adsorption capacity, and lnCs had a linear relationship with the equilibrium pH (pHeq). In the presence of carbonate, the adsorption was much greater than that in the absence of carbonate owing to the pHeq values buffered by carbonate, but the adsorption decreased with the increase of the carbonate concentration from 3.5 to 6.5 mM. Additionally, the breakthrough curves (BTCs) obtained by column experiments showed that large numbers of H+ and CO32− competed with the U species for adsorption sites, which resulted in BTC overshoot (C/C0 > 1). Numerical simulation results indicated that the BTCs at initial pH 4 and 5 could be well simulated by two-site chemical non-equilibrium model (CNEM), whereas the BTCs of varying initial carbonate concentrations were suitable for one-site CNEM. The fractions of equilibrium adsorption sites (f) seemed to correlate with the fractions of positively charged complexes of U species in solution. The values of partition coefficients (kd′) were lower than those measured in batch adsorption experiments, but they had the same variation trend. The values of first-order rate coefficient (ω) for all BTCs were low, representing a relatively slow equilibrium between U in the liquid and solid phases. In conclusion, the mobility of U in the red soil increased with the decrease of the initial pH and with the increase of the initial carbonate concentrations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Avasarala S, Lichtner PC, Ali AMS, González-Pinzón R, Blake JM, Cerrato JM (2017) Reactive transport of U and V from abandoned uranium mine wastes. Environ Sci Technol 51:12385–12393

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett M, Jardine P, Brooks S, Selim H (2000) Adsorption and transport of uranium(VI) in subsurface media. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:908–917

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai Y, Li L, Zhang H (2015) Kinetic modeling of pH-dependent antimony (V) sorption and transport in iron oxide-coated sand. Chemosphere 138:758–764

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G, Zeng G, Du C, Huang D, Tang L, Wang L, Shen G (2010) Transfer of heavy metals from compost to red soil and groundwater under simulated rainfall conditions. J Hazard Mater 181:211–216

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Qiu Z, Wang Y, Gao B (2016) Distribution characteristics and correlation analysis between heavy metal and radionuclide in soil of a certain uranium mine area of South China. Fresen Environ Bull 25:3535–3542

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, Zhao K, Shang J, Liu C, Wang J, Yan Z, Liu K, Wu W (2018a) Uranium (VI) transport in saturated heterogeneous media: influence of kaolinite and humic acid. Environ Pollut 240:219–226

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen W, Teng Y, Li Z, Liu W, Ren W, Luo Y, Christie P (2018b) Mechanisms by which organic fertilizer and effective microbes mitigate peanut continuous cropping yield constraints in a red soil of South China. Appl Soil Ecol 128:23–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Chung J, Kim YJ, Lee G, Nam K (2016) Experimental determination of nonequilibrium transport parameters reflecting the competitive sorption between Cu and Pb in slag-sand column. Chemosphere 154:335–342

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crançon P, Pili E, Charlet L (2010) Uranium facilitated transport by water-dispersible colloids in field and soil columns. Sci Total Environ 408:2118–2128

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford SE, Lofts S, Liber K (2017) The role of sediment properties and solution pH in the adsorption of uranium(VI) to freshwater sediments. Environ Pollut 220:873–881

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dai Z, Zhang H, Sui Y, Ding D, Hu N, Li L, Wang Y (2018) Synthesis and characterization of a novel core–shell magnetic nanocomposite via surface-initiated RAFT polymerization for highly efficient and selective adsorption of uranium(VI). J Radioanal Nucl Chem 316:369–382

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dangelmayr MA, Reimus PW, Wasserman NL, Punsal JJ, Johnson RH, Clay JT, Stone JJ (2017) Laboratory column experiments and transport modeling to evaluate retardation of uranium in an aquifer downgradient of a uranium in-situ recovery site. Appl Geochem 80:1–13

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Freitas ED, de Almeida HJ, de Almeida Neto AF, Vieira MGA (2018) Continuous adsorption of silver and copper by Verde-lodo bentonite in a fixed bed flow-through column. J Clean Prod 171:613–621

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding DX, Fu HY, Ye YJ, Hu N, Li GY, Song JB, Wang YD (2013) A fractal kinetic model for heap leaching of uranium ore with fractal dimension of varied particle size distribution. Hydrometallurgy 136:85–92

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dittrich TM, Reimus PW (2015) Uranium transport in a crushed granodiorite: experiments and reactive transport modeling. J Contam Hydrol 175:44–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Dittrich TM, Reimus PW (2016) Reactive transport of uranium in fractured crystalline rock: upscaling in time and distance. J Environ Manage 165:124–132

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dong W, Wan J (2014) Additive surface complexation modeling of uranium(VI) adsorption onto quartz-sand dominated sediments. Environ Sci Technol 48:6569–6577

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Du L, Li S, Li X, Wang P, Huang Z, Tan Z, Liu C, Liao J, Liu N (2017) Effect of humic acid on uranium(VI) retention and transport through quartz columns with varying pH and anion type. J Environ Radioactiv 177:142–150

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu H, Zhang H, Sui Y, Hu N, Ding D, Ye Y, Li G, Wang Y, Dai Z (2018) Transformation of uranium species in soil during redox oscillations. Chemosphere 208:846–853

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ge M, Wang D, Yang J, Jin Q, Chen Z, Wu W, Guo Z (2018) Co-transport of U(VI) and akaganéite colloids in water-saturated porous medium: role of U(VI) concentration, pH and ionic strength. Water Res 147:350–361

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guimarães V, Rodríguez-Castellón E, Algarra M, Rocha F, Bobos I (2016) Kinetics of uranyl ions sorption on heterogeneous smectite structure at pH 4 and 6 using a continuous stirred flow-through reactor. Appl Clay Sci 134:71–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Harguindeguy S, Crançon P, Gautier MP, Pointurier F, Lespes G (2018) Colloidal mobilization from soil and transport of uranium in (sub)-surface waters. Environ Sci Pollut R:1–11

  • Hou L, Hu BX, Qi Z, Yang H (2018) Evaluating equilibrium and non-equilibrium transport of ammonium in a loam soil column. Hydrol Process 32:80–92

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu N, Li K, Sui Y, Ding D, Dai Z, Li D, Wang N, Zhang H (2018) Utilization of phosphate rock as a sole source of phosphorus for uranium biomineralization mediated by Penicillium funiculosum. RSC Adv 8:13459–13465

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jellali S, Diamantopoulos E, Kallali H, Bennaceur S, Anane M, Jedidi N (2010) Dynamic sorption of ammonium by sandy soil in fixed bed columns: evaluation of equilibrium and non-equilibrium transport processes. J Environ Manage 91:897–905

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YJ, Brooks SC, Zhang F, Parker JC, Moon JW, Roh Y (2015) Fate and transport of uranium (VI) in weathered saprolite. J Environ Radioactiv 139:154–162

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korichi S, Bensmaili A (2009) Sorption of uranium (VI) on homoionic sodium smectite experimental study and surface complexation modeling. J Hazard Mater 169:780–793

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li GY, Hu N, Ding DX, Zheng JF, Liu YL, Wang YD, Nie XQ (2011) Screening of plant species for phytoremediation of uranium, thorium, barium, nickel, strontium and lead contaminated soils from a uranium mill tailings repository in South China. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86:646–652

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li DX, Hu N, Ding DX, Li SM, Li GY, Wang YD (2016) An experimental study on the inhibitory effect of high concentration bicarbonate on the reduction of U(VI) in groundwater by functionalized indigenous microbial communities. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307:1011–1019

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li DX, Hu N, Sui Y, Ding DX, Li K, Li GY, Wang YD (2017) Influence of bicarbonate on the abundance of microbial communities capable of reducing U(VI) in groundwater. RSC Adv 7:49745–49752

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Zhang D, Li M, Tong L, Feng L (2013) Competitive adsorption and transport of phthalate esters in the clay layer of JiangHan Plain, China. Chemosphere 92:1542–1549

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Wang J, Li H, Shen CC, Chen Y, Wang C, Ye H, Long J, Song G, Wu Y (2015) Surface sediment contamination by uranium mining/milling activities in South China. CLEAN-Soil Air Water 43:414–420

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Xu J, Li X, Wang J (2018) Mechanisms of biochar effects on thermal properties of red soil in South China. Geoderma 323:41–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu Z, Liu Z (2018) Pollution characteristics and risk assessment of uranium and heavy metals of agricultural soil around the uranium tailing reservoir in Southern China. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 318:923–933

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lü JW, Deng QW, Zhang Y, Tang DS (2014) Study on purification ability of clay soil on acidic seepage from uranium tailings. Environmental Engineering 32:1–5 (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez-Hernández V, Meffe R, Kohfahl C, Bustamante ID (2017) Investigating natural attenuation of pharmaceuticals through unsaturated column tests. Chemosphere 177:292–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehta VS, Maillot F, Wang Z, Catalano JG, Giammar DE (2015) Transport of U (VI) through sediments amended with phosphate to induce in situ uranium immobilization. Water Res 69:307–317

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miura A (2018) Mechanism of cesium adsorption by carbonized rice hull and beech sawdust. Separations 5:22

    Google Scholar 

  • Rout S, Ravi PM, Kumar A, Tripathi RM (2015) Equilibrium isotherm and kinetics modeling of U(VI) adsorption by natural soil systems. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 303:2193–2203

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simunek J, Van Genuchten MT, Sejna M (2005) The HYDRUS-1D software package for simulating the one-dimensional movement of water, heat, and multiple solutes in variably-saturated media. University of California-Riverside Research Reports 3:45–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Tournassat C, Tinnacher RM, Grangeon S, Davis JA (2018) Modeling uranium(VI) adsorption onto montmorillonite under varying carbonate concentrations: a surface complexation model accounting for the spillover effect on surface potential. Geochim Cosmochim Ac 220:291–308

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tran EL, Teutsch N, Klein-Bendavid O, Weisbrod N (2018) Uranium and cesium sorption to bentonite colloids under carbonate-rich environments: implications for radionuclide transport. Sci Total Environ 643:260–269

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uyuşur B, Li C, Baveye PC, Darnault CJ (2015) pH-dependent reactive transport of uranium(VI) in unsaturated sand. J Soil Sediment 15:634–647

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Liu J, Li H, Song G, Chen Y, Xiao T, Qi J, Zhu L (2012) Surface water contamination by uranium mining/milling activities in northern Guangdong Province. China, CLEAN-Soil Air Water 40:1357–1363

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang D, Su C, Zhang W, Hao X, Cang L, Wang Y, Zhou D (2014) Laboratory assessment of the mobility of water-dispersed engineered nanoparticles in a red soil (Ultisol). J Hydrol 519:1677–1687

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Cheng P, Li F, Liu T, Cheng K, Yang J, Lu Y (2018) Variable charges of a red soil from different depths: acid-base buffer capacity and surface complexation model. Appl Clay Sci 159:107–115

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Won J, Burns SE (2018) Role of immobile kaolinite colloids in the transport of heavy metals. Environ Sci Technol 52:2735–2741

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao D, Huang Y, Feng S, Ge Y, Zhang W, He X, Wang K (2018) Soil organic carbon mineralization with fresh organic substrate and inorganic carbon additions in a red soil is controlled by fungal diversity along a pH gradient. Geoderma 321:79–89

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xie J, Wang J, Lin J, Zhou X (2018) The dynamic role of pH in microbial reduction of uranium(VI) in the presence of bicarbonate. Environ Pollut 242:659–666

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Liu J, Cao X, Luo X, Hua R, Liu Y, Yu X, He L, Liu Y (2015a) Comparison of U(VI) adsorption onto nanoscale zero-valent iron and red soil in the presence of U(VI)–CO3/Ca–U(VI)–CO3 complexes. J Hazard Mater 300:633–642

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang CY, Zhan LZ, Hua EX, Chen JY, Gao B (2015b) Analysis on hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in uranium tailing pond. Environmental Chemistry 34:2103–2108 (In Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Tong J, Hu BX, Wei W (2018) Adsorption and desorption for dynamics transport of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in soil column. Environ Sci Pollut R 25:459–468

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1401231 and 11775106), the Scientific Research Foundation of Science and Technology Department of Hunan Province (2016SK2041), the Education Department of Hunan Province (14B150), and the Hunan Provincial Innovation Foundation for Postgraduate (CX2017B505).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Discipline Laboratory for National Defense for Biotechnology in Uranium Mining and Hydrometallurgy, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People’s Republic of China

    Haiying Fu, Dexin Ding, Hui Zhang, Nan Hu, Feng Li, Zhongran Dai, Guangyue Li, Yongjun Ye & Yongdong Wang

  2. Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Green Development Technology for Extremely Low Grade Uranium Resources, Hengyang, 421001, China

    Haiying Fu, Dexin Ding, Hui Zhang, Nan Hu, Feng Li, Zhongran Dai, Guangyue Li, Yongjun Ye & Yongdong Wang

  3. School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People’s Republic of China

    Yang Sui

Authors
  1. Haiying Fu
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dexin Ding
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yang Sui
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hui Zhang
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nan Hu
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Feng Li
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Zhongran Dai
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Guangyue Li
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Yongjun Ye
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Yongdong Wang
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dexin Ding.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 562 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fu, H., Ding, D., Sui, Y. et al. Transport of uranium(VI) in red soil in South China: influence of initial pH and carbonate concentration. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 37125–37136 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06644-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06644-3

Keywords