Biogeochemical Mechanisms Controlling Reduced Radionuclide Particle Properties and Stability

Uranium and Technetium are the major risk-driving contaminants at Hanford and other DOE sites. These radionuclides have been shown to be reduced by dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria (DMRB) under anoxic conditions. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that reduction results in the formation of poorly soluble hydrous oxides, UO2(s) and TcO2n?H2O(s), that are believed to limit mobility in the environment. The mechanisms of microbial reduction of U and Tc have been the focus of considerable research in the Environmental Remediation Sciences Program (ERSP). In spite of equal or greater importance in terms of controlling the environmental fate of the contaminants relatively little is known regarding the precipitation mechanism(s), reactivity, persistence, and transport of biogenic UO2(s) and TcO2(s)