Colloid-facilitated Transport of Radionuclides through the Vadose Zone

Research Objectives: This project seeks to improve the basic understanding of colloid and colloid-facilitated transport of Cs in the vadose zone. The specific objectives are: • Determine the structure, composition, and surface charge characteristics of colloidal particles formed under conditions similar to those occurring during leakage of waste typical of Hanford tank supernatants into soils and sediments surrounding the tanks. • Characterize the mutual interactions between colloids, contaminant, and soil matrix in batch experiments under various ionic strength and pH conditions. We will investigate the nature of the solid-liquid interactions and the kinetics of the reactions. • Evaluate mobility of colloids through soil under different degrees of water saturation and solution chemistry (ionic strength and pH). • Determine the potential of colloids to act as carriers to transport the contaminant through the vadose zone and verify the results through comparison with field samples collected under leaking tanks. Results of this project will help to understand the fundamental mechanisms of Cs transport under the leaking Hanford tanks, and thus contribute to the long-term clean-up strategies at the Hanford site.