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Overview
Migration of plutonium and other radionuclides in groundwater is a major issue at several DOE sites. Earlier assumptions that contaminants would migrate only very slowly in the vadose and groundwater zones have been questioned based upon findings of prior monitoring programs and independent review. One explanation put forth to account for more rapid migration is the association of plutonium with groundwater colloids, which are thought to enhance transport of particle reactive compounds in groundwater. We have brought new methods developed in ocean sciences to bear on the sampling and analyses of colloids in groundwater. Our research has focused on two important DOE sites, namely the Savannah River Site (SRS) and the Hanford Site, and the project involves direct collaboration with Dr. Jim Kelley and colleagues at the Pacific Northwest labs. We have found at both a sites a low colloidal association for plutonium in groundwater, using what we feel are improved techniques, which better represent ambient groundwater speciation. In addition, at SRS, we document a new Pu source not considered in current
models, namely 244Cm - another transuranuium element produced at SRS that migrates
more rapidly than Pu and decays to 240Pu in groundwater.
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Selected Scientific Publications
Hassellöv, M., K.O. Buesseler, S.M. Pike and M. Dai (2006). Application of cross flow filtration for the determination of colloidal abundances in suboxic ferrous-rich ground waters. Science of the Total Environment, 372(2-3): 636-644.
Buesseler. K.O., Daniel I. Kaplan and Minhan Dai (2007). Technical Comment on “Colloid Transport of Plutonium in the Far-Field of the Mayak Projection Association, Russia ” Alexander P. Novikov et al. Science 314, 638. Submitted to Science.
Filella, M., E. Balnois, K.O. Buesseler, M. Dai, M. Hassellöv, F. von der Kammer, J.-L. Loizeau, D. Perret, T. Schäfer, C. Walther (2007). Particle size distributions in water samples: A practical guide to pre-fractionation and fractionation techniques. Submitted to Water Research.
Dai, M., K. O. Buesseler, S. M. Pike (2005). Plutonium
in groundwater at the 100K-Area of the U.S. DOE Hanford Site.
(PDF) Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 76: 167-189.
Dai, M. H., J. M. Kelley and K. O. Buesseler (2002). Sources
and migration of plutonium in groundwater at the Savannah
River Site (PDF). Environmental Science and Technology.
v36, 3690-3699.
Commentary on: "Trace
Metal Levels in Uncontaminated Groundwater of a Coastal Watershed:
Importance of Colloidal Forms (PDF)" by Sañudo-Wilhelmy
et al. Ken O. Buesseler, Minhan Dai and Martin Hassellöv,
ES&T, (2003), 37(30), 657-658
Dai, M.H., K.O. Buesseler, J.M. Kelley, J. E. Andrews, S.
Pike and J.F. Wacker (2001). Size
Fractionated Plutonium Isotopes in a Coastal Environment (PDF).
J. Environ. Radioactivity, 53 (1), 9-25.
Dai, M., K. O. Buesseler, P. Ripple, J. Andrews, R. Belastock,
O. Gustafsson and S. B. Moran (1998). Evaluation
of two cross-flow ultrafiltration membranes for their ability
to isolate marine organic colloids (PDF). Marine Chemistry,
62, 117-136.
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Conferences Presentations and Posters
October 2006 Powerpoint Presentation by K. Buesseler at ERSP PI workshop in Oak Ridge
Buesseler, K., M. Dai, D. Kaplan and S. Peterson
Understanding plutonium variability and mobility in groundwater at the Savannah River site (PDF)
May 2000 Powerpoint Presentation
Speciation
and isotopic composition of plutonium in the groundwater at
the DOE Hanford (PDF)
Isotopic Composition, Speciation and Mobility of actinides
in the Groundwater at DOE Savannah River and Hanford Sites
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Photo Gallery
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Related Links
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