An integrated colloid fractionation approach applied to the characterisation of porewater uranium-hunic interactions at a depleted uranium contaminated site

Graham, M.C., Oliver, I., MacKenzie, A., Ellam, R. and Farmer, J.G. (2008) An integrated colloid fractionation approach applied to the characterisation of porewater uranium-hunic interactions at a depleted uranium contaminated site. Science of the Total Environment, 404(1), pp. 207-217. (doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.05.042)

Abstract

Methods for the fractionation of aquatic colloids require careful application to ensure efficient, accurate and reproducible separations. This paper describes the novel combination of mild colloidal fractionation and characterisation methods, namely centrifugal ultrafiltration, gel electrophoresis and gel filtration along with spectroscopic (UV–visible) and elemental (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry) analysis, an approach which produced highly consistent results, providing improved confidence in these methods. Application to the study of the colloidal and dissolved components of soil porewaters from one soil at a depleted uranium (DU)-contaminated site revealed uranium (U) associations with both large (100 kDa–0.2 µm) and small (3–30 kDa) humic colloids. For a nearby soil with lower organic matter content, however, association with large (100 kDa–0.2 µm) iron (Fe)–aluminium (Al) colloids in addition to an association with small (3–30 kDa) humic colloids was observed. The integrated colloid fractionation approach presented herein can now be applied with confidence to investigate U and indeed other trace metal migration in soil and aquatic systems.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Oliver, Dr Ian and Ellam, Professor Rob and MacKenzie, Professor Angus
• Authors: Graham, M.C., Oliver, I., MacKenzie, A., Ellam, R., and Farmer, J.G.
• Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Science of the Total Environment
• ISSN: 0048-9697
• Published Online: 16 July 2008