SUBSURFACE MOBILE PLUTONIUM SPECIATION: SAMPLING ARTIFACTS FOR GROUNDWATER COLLOIDS

Abstract

A recent review found several conflicting conclusions regarding colloid-facilitated transport of radionuclides in groundwater and noted that colloids can both facilitate and retard transport. Given these contrasting conclusions and the profound implications even trace concentrations of plutonium (Pu) have on the calculated risk posed to human health, it is important that the methodology used to sample groundwater colloids be free of artifacts. The objective of this study was: (1) to conduct a field study and measure Pu speciation, ({sup 239}Pu and {sup 240}Pu for reduced-Pu{sub aq}, oxidized-Pu{sub aq}, reduced-Pu{sub colloid}, and oxidized-Pu{sub colloid}), in a Savannah River Site (SRS) aquifer along a pH gradient in F-Area, (2) to determine the impact of pumping rate on Pu concentration, Pu speciation, and Pu isotopic ratios, (3) determine the impact of delayed sample processing (as opposed to processing directly from the well).