Recent studies of uranium(VI) geochemistry have focused on the potentially important role of the aqueous species, CaUO2(CO3)32− and Ca2UO2(CO3)30(aq), on inhibition of microbial reduction and uranium(VI) aqueous speciation in contaminated groundwater. However, to our knowledge, there have been no direct studies of the effects of these species on U(VI) adsorption by mineral phases. The sorption of U(VI) on quartz and ferrihydrite was investigated in NaNO3 solutions equilibrated with either ambient air (430 ppm CO2) or 2% CO2 in the presence of 0, 1.8, or 8.9 mM Ca2+. Under conditions where the Ca2UO2(CO3)30(aq) species predominates U(VI) aqueous speciation, the presence of Ca in solution lowered U(VI) adsorption on quartz from 77% in [...]
