Technetium-99 (99Tc) is a radioactive byproduct of nuclear fission of Uranium-235 which is utilized for energy production and has a half-life of 2.3x105 years Not only does this long half-life pose as a problem but also when in oxidizing environments, technetium is found as pertechnetate anion (TcO4-). This oxyanion is a highly soluble and mobile contaminant when in aqueous solutions, and is well above the drinking water standard of 900 pCi/Lacross several DOE sites in the country.. Release of pertechnetate into the environment has caused contamination to sediments associated with it, groundwater, rivers, estuaries, and seawater. However if technetium can be reduced to Tc(IV), its migration will be slowed or ceased because technetium is insoluble and immobile in this form. Manganese is the 12th most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is encountered in soil and water. Manganese is encountered either as manganese oxide or manganese salts, such as MnCO3, rhodochrosite. This study focuses on the reduction of technetium by the manganese (II) containing mineral rhodochrosite. Batch experiments are performed in circumneutral pH values at different ionic strengths and in the presence of ligands and other contaminants in an effort to understand the reactivity of manganese minerals towards pertechnetate under oxygen-limited conditions. Mineral free control samples contained Mn(II)aq and pertechnetate in roder to identify if the reduction of pertechnetate by manganese isa surface mediated reaction.

Pertechnetate reduction by reactive rhodochrosite, a common Mn(II) mineral

2019 Spring National Meeting

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