Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Investigations to the mobilisation of radionuclides are essential in the risk assessment of radionuclides in the environment and the safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories. The mobilisation of radionuclides takes place for instance by the formation of water soluble complexes or sorption processes on mineral surfaces. Concerning the required risk and safety assessments a wide knowledge about the chemical and physical behavior of radionuclides, particularly actinides, is needed. Thus, interaction studies of radionuclides are carried out, e.g. complexation studies with components of the environmental compartments (humic acids, bioligands, inorganic ligands, bacteria, …).
Borates (e.g. boric acid B(OH)3 and its salts or esters) are ubiquitous compounds in the environment (rocks, soils, natural waters) and are used in many applications, e.g. glass production, detergents, agriculture and nuclear technology. Thus, there are many sources for the release of borates in the environment. But although there is a relevance of borates in the environment and, perhaps, in nuclear waste repositories, the Ln(III)/An(III)-borate system is investigated insufficiently.
The work concentrates on the complex formation in the An(III)/Ln(III)-borate system. The influence of temperature and ionic strength on the complexation will be investigated.