Self-Organization of Mineral Fabrics

Electrokinetic generation of iron-rich barriers in soils: realising the potential for nuclear site management and decommissioning

“…The system effectively mimics natural iron mineralization processes, where internal electric fields present in rock and soil bodies can generate multiple bands of ironstone via precipitation of Fe oxides and hydroxides. 43 Further investigations on solutions containing environmentally-relevant concentrations of dissolved solids (32 – 864 μS cm −1 ) confirm that higher ionic strength electrolytes cause faster precipitation of iron-rich barriers, as expected from previous literature. These iron-rich materials and barriers are known to be sorptive, impermeable and useful in stabilizing soil.…”

“…The data presented here clearly demonstrate that the deliberate generation of iron-rich barriers, grown from anode dissolution in real and simulated nuclear site materials, is feasible at up to and including the metre scale. We have demonstrated that barrier growth occurs over realistic timescales (days to months) at low voltages (typically <1 V cm −1 ) and electrolyte strengths, in realistic nuclear site media (simulated and real Sellaeld site sands), through the deposition of environmentally ubiquitous 43 Further investigations on solutions containing environmentally-relevant concentrations of dissolved solids (32 -864 mS cm −1 ) conrm that higher ionic strength electrolytes cause faster precipitation of iron-rich barriers, as expected from previous literature. These iron-rich materials and barriers are known to be sorptive, impermeable and useful in stabilizing soil.…”

Electrokinetic remediation of plutonium-contaminated nuclear site wastes: Results from a pilot-scale on-site trial

“…The data presented here indicate that enhanced redissolution of Pu can occur in electric fields similar in magnitude to those which are generated via natural redox reactions across a range of soil and sedimentary rock types (e.g. [33]), which, particularly in combination with microbial transformations involving production and degradation of organic acids, may provide a mechanism for accelerated Pu release from waste containment sites.…”