Although the majority of studies focus on the environmental transport of dissolved uranium species into the subsurface, airborne particulates formed from industrial processes have the ability to transport long distances. The chemical species of uranium can be altered by interactions with light, humidity, internal chemical species within the particle, or external chemical species on surfaces that come in contact with the particle. Surrogate particulate materials were produced using an ultrasonic atomization process, allowing particulates to be deposited either actively or passively on a variety of substrates that were then stored under static relative humidity environments ranging from 17-95% at room temperature. This work has shown that atomization of uranyl nitrate rapidly and unexpectedly produces material identified as metastudtite (UO4 2H2O). A transition from the dehydrate UO4 species to a more hydrated studtite (UO4 4H2O) occurs over the course of days to months depending on environmental storage conditions.

Evaluation of the effects of environmental stress on uranium particulates produced using ultrasonic atomization

245th National Meeting (2013)

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