Publikationsrepositorium - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

In the uranium mine Königstein (Saxony, Germany) the uranium production was achieved by leaching the sandstone with sulphuric acid in the past. As a consequence the geochemical nature of the deposit was changed with an increase of sulphate and heavy metals, (especially uranium) in acidic, sulfate-rich waters. Since 2001 the mine has been flooded for remediation processes. Huge mass of Ferrovum myxofaciens dominated biofilms are growing in the acid mine drainage (AMD) water as macroscopic streamers and as stalactite-like snottites hanging from the ceiling of the galleries. Microsensor measurements were performed in the AMD water as well as in the biofilms from the drainage channel on-site and in the laboratory. The analytical data of the AMD water was used for the thermodynamic calculation of the predominance fields of the aquatic uranium sulfate (UO2SO4). According to thermodynamic calculations a retention of uranium from the AMD water by forming solid uranium(VI) or uranium(IV) species will be inhibited until the pH will increase to > 4.8.
In the underground rock characterization facility tunnel "ONKALO" in Finland massive biofilms were observed attached to the fractured bedrock at a depth of 70 m. Experiments were performed in the laboratory to study the effect on the behavior of uranium in biofilms by adding uranium to the fracture water with a final uranium concentration (410-5 M) relevant for what can be expected from an injured and leaking waste canister in the far-field during a nuclear event in a HLW repository. The results obtained by analysis, microsensor measurements, TRLFS investigation, EF-TEM/EELS studies and thermodynamic calculations clearly indicate that biofilms have to be considered as microenvironments, which differ significantly from the surrounding medium. EF-TEM investigations showed that in the biofilm uranium was immobilized intracellular in bacteria by a biologically mediated uranyl phosphate formation similar to needle-shaped Autunite (Ca[UO2]2[PO4]2•2-6H2O) or meta-Autunite (Ca[UO2]2[PO4]2•10-12H2O). In contrast, TRLFS studies of the contaminated fracture water showed aqueous uranium carbonate species, most likely (Ca2UO2[CO3]3), which was formed using the available high amount of carbonate from the water. The results are in agreement with the thermodynamic calculation of the theoretical predominance field of uranium species, formed in the uranium contaminated fracture water at the measured geochemical parameters.