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Speciation and mobility of uranium isotopes in the Shu River: impacts for river to sea transfer

  • Ilona V. Matveyeva EMAIL logo and Mukhambetkali М. Burkitbayev
Published/Copyright: March 28, 2024
Pure and Applied Chemistry
From the journal Pure and Applied Chemistry Volume 96 Issue 7

Abstract

Fresh water outflows to sea are a source of marine contamination by radionuclides, most originating from nuclear industry operations. Usually, these lead to small amounts of radionuclides entering the sea, for example, because of the discharge of cooling water. However, under accident conditions large amounts of radionuclides may enter river systems. The extent of radionuclide transport along freshwater systems and their subsequent dispersal in the ocean depends upon their speciation. This manuscript examines the speciation of uranium, with particular reference to sulphate complexes, along the Shu River in Central Asia with a view to predict its transport along such rivers to receiving seas. The speciation of uranium isotopes in the Shu River (at the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) was determined. Calculations were based on the measured concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na++K+, HCO3 −, Cl−, SO4 2−, and of uranium isotopes. These calculations were determined by either titrimetric methods, gravimetric methods or, for uranium isotopes, by alpha-particle spectrometry. Almost all uranium was present as one of three soluble complexes, either [UO2OH]+, [UO2(CO3)2(H2O)2]2− or [UO2(CO3)3]4−. However, despite the significant concentration of sulphate-ions in the water, especially for the Lower Shu in Kazakhstan, the probability of uranium being present as of sulphate complexes in the analyzed water was very low. The presence of soluble ions is consistent with their mobility along freshwater systems and their transfer to the marine environment. No evidence of an effect from influxes of sulphate was identified.

Keywords: Freshwater; radioactive waste in the marine environment 2023; radionuclides; river to sea transfer; speciation; uranium
Corresponding author: Ilona V. Matveyeva, Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, al-Farabi, 71, Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail:
Article note: A collection of invited papers based on the topic of “The global scenario and challenges of radioactive waste in the marine environment” from IUPAC Division VI project #2021-027-2-600.

Funding source: International Science & Technology Center

Award Identifier / Grant number: K-1474

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the help provided by Prof. Nicholas Priest during the preparation of the manuscript.

  1. Research funding: This work was funded by the International Science & Technology Center (ISTC) project “The Influence of Uranium Mining and Extraction Operations on the Environment of the Shu Valley in Southern Kazakhstan and Adjacent Region of Kyrgyzstan” (Contract K-1474) (ChuRad Project, Contract K-1474).

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Published Online: 2024-03-28
Published in Print: 2024-07-26

© 2024 IUPAC & De Gruyter

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. The Global Scenario and Challenges of Radioactive Waste in the Marine Environment
  4. Special topic papers
  5. A critical review of the quantification, analysis and detection of radionuclides in the environment using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): advances and perspectives
  6. Overview of marine radionuclides from sampling to monitoring
  7. Radionuclides in marine sediment
  8. Speciation and mobility of uranium isotopes in the Shu River: impacts for river to sea transfer
  9. Impact of fluvial discharge on 137Cs in the ocean following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident
  10. Transport of radioactive materials from terrestrial to marine environments in Fukushima over the past decade
  11. The transfer of irradiated uranium from the Irish Sea coast to the terrestrial environment in Cumbria, UK
  12. Public knowledge, sentiments, and perceptions of low dose radiation (LDR) and power production, with special reference to reactor accidents
  13. An exercise-based international polymer syllabus
  14. Conference paper
  15. Perovskite: a key structure for a sustainable hydrogen economy
https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2023-1009
Keywords for this article
Freshwater; radioactive waste in the marine environment 2023; radionuclides; river to sea transfer; speciation; uranium

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. The Global Scenario and Challenges of Radioactive Waste in the Marine Environment
  4. Special topic papers
  5. A critical review of the quantification, analysis and detection of radionuclides in the environment using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): advances and perspectives
  6. Overview of marine radionuclides from sampling to monitoring
  7. Radionuclides in marine sediment
  8. Speciation and mobility of uranium isotopes in the Shu River: impacts for river to sea transfer
  9. Impact of fluvial discharge on 137Cs in the ocean following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident
  10. Transport of radioactive materials from terrestrial to marine environments in Fukushima over the past decade
  11. The transfer of irradiated uranium from the Irish Sea coast to the terrestrial environment in Cumbria, UK
  12. Public knowledge, sentiments, and perceptions of low dose radiation (LDR) and power production, with special reference to reactor accidents
  13. An exercise-based international polymer syllabus
  14. Conference paper
  15. Perovskite: a key structure for a sustainable hydrogen economy
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