Role of Microenvironments and Transition Zones in Subsurface Reactive Contaminant Transport
EMSL Project ID
47712
Abstract
This is a renewal proposal for a previous collaborative effort between the PNNL Scientific Focus Area (SFA) and EMSL. The research proposed will resolve critical Hanford and basic subsurface science issues through integrated, multi-disciplinary, science-theme focused research on the role of microenvironments and transition zones in the reactive transport of technetium (Tc), uranium (U), and plutonium (Pu). The overall ten-year goals of the SFA are to develop: i.) an integrated conceptual model for microbial ecology in the Hanford subsurface and its influence on contaminant migration, ii.) a fundamental understanding of chemical reaction, biotransformation, and physical transport processes in microenvironments and transition zones, and iii.) quantitative biogeochemical reactive transport models for Tc, U, and Pu that integrate multi-process coupling at different spatial scales for field-scale application. Targeted contaminant chemical reaction and biotransformation processes include heterogeneous/biologic electron transfer, precipitation and dissolution, and surface complexation. The EMSL component of this research will be laboratory experiments and measurements to further the understanding of field-scale phenomena. We will use sediments and microbial isolates from various Hanford settings to explore molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic processes underlying field-scale contaminant migration. The SFA will partner with the PNNL Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) to develop molecular understandings of key processes, and the Hanford Integrated Field Challenge (IFC) for access to, and samples from subsurface environments where these zones exist and are important.
Project Details
Start Date
2012-11-05
End Date
2013-11-04
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members
Related Publications
Kerisit SN, and C Liu. 2013. "Structure, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics of the Aqueous Uranyl(VI) Cation." Journal of Physical Chemistry A 117(30):6421-6432. doi:10.1021/jp404594p
Liu C, J Shang, H Shan, and JM Zachara. 2013. "Effect of Subgrid Heterogeneity on Scaling Geochemical and Biogeochemical Reactions: A Case of U(VI) Desorption." Environmental Science & Technology 48(3):1745-1752. doi:10.1021/es404224j
Shang J, C Liu, Z Wang, and JM Zachara. 2014. "Long-term Kinetics of Uranyl Desorption from Sediments Under Advective Conditions." Water Resources Research 50(2):855-870. doi:10.1002/2013WR013949