HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ebbs, S. D. Articles by Kochian, L. V. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ebbs, S. D. Articles by Kochian, L. V. Agricola Articles by Ebbs, S. D. Articles by Kochian, L. V.

The Effect of Acidification and Chelating Agents on the Solubilization of Uranium from Contaminated Soil

U.S. Plant, Soil, and Nutrition Lab., USDA-ARS, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853.

^* Corresponding author (lvk1{at}cornell.edu).

ABSTRACT

The role of acidification and chelating agents in the solubilization of uranium (U) from contaminated soil was examined in a series of experiments. Soil acidification and the addition of chelating agents were the two methods compared initially. The results indicated that the addition of citric acid solubilized more U than acidification or the other amendments tested. This increase in U solubility was, however, transitory. A subsequent experiment indicated that citrate concentration had a more dramatic effect on U solubility than did acidification. The greatest soluble U concentration during this experiment (775 mg kg^–1 soil, or 85% of the total U) was observed after 24 h in the presence of 20 millimoles citrate kg^–1 soil at pH 5. The persistence of U solubility over the 96-h experimental period was primarily a function of pH and citrate degradation. In a separate experiment, in which citric acid rather than citrate was added to contaminated soil, the soluble U concentrations observed were generally lower than those observed in the presence of citrate. Citric acid decreased soil pH to values 3.6, and solubilized higher concentrations of Al and Fe than observed in the presence of citrate. Since the maximum solubilization of U was observed at pH 5, the implication of these results is that a combined approach, using both soil acidification and citric acid addition, may be necessary to maximize the phytoextraction of U from soils with a pH > 6.0.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				U. Schmidt Enhancing Phytoextraction: The Effect of Chemical Soil Manipulation on Mobility, Plant Accumulation, and Leaching of Heavy Metals J. Environ. Qual., November 1, 2003; 32(6): 1939 - 1954. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]