Organic Geochemistry of Deep Ground Waters and Radionuclide-Partitioning Experiments under Hydrothermal Conditions

摘要

This report summarizes research on two separate tasks. In the first task, the organic geochemistry of groundwater samples from the Permian Basin of Texas, the Paradox Basin of Utah, and the Nevada Test Site has been characterized. Acidic compounds were derivatized and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the molecular weight characteristics of the organic constituents present were determined using dialysis and gel filtration chromatography. The total organic carbon contents of the groundwaters from the Permian and Paradox Basins are very high, ranging from 12 to 76 mg/l. Although the specific organic composition varies from aquifer to aquifer, the organic components of these groundwaters appear to be composed principally of low molecular weight polar compounds derived from local hydrocarbon deposits. The total organic carbon contents of the groundwaters from the Nevada Test Site are very low, ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 mg/l. Here the principal organic species appear to be humic compounds and low molecular weight fatty acids. In the second task the adsorption of certain radionuclides by geologic substrates has been measured in the presence and absence of organic complexing agents from 25 to 250 exp 0 C. Major findings include the following: (a) in some cases the extent of adsorption of Sr, Co, and U actually increases with increasing temperature; (b) oxalic acid either has little effect on the adsorption or actually increases the adsorption of Cs and Sr by kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite; (c) the thermal degradation of natural organic compounds in the near-field environment may be significant; and (d) the adsorption of U, Co, and Sr, and Cs onto kaolinite and montmorillonite reaches a steady state in less than an hour at 25 exp 0 C, 1 atm. 10 figures, 4 tables. (ERA citation 08:047551)