**Chemical Thermodynamics of Uranium in the Soil Environment Environment**

**Chemical Thermodynamics of Uranium in the Soil** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.72107

Michael Thomas Aide Michael Thomas Aide Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

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122 Uranium - Safety, Resources, Separation and Thermodynamic Calculation

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10.1007/s10967-016-5053-5

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72107

#### **Abstract**

Uranium is present in the soil environment because of human activity, including the usage of U-bearing phosphorus fertilizers. In oxic and many suboxic soil environments, U(VI) is the dominant uranium valence species. With pH, pe (Eh), the partial pressure of CO2 , the mineralogy of the adsorbing surfaces and the uranium concentration as the key master variables, U(VI) will predictably participate in hydrolysis, ionpairing, complexation, ion-exchange, mineral precipitation and adsorption reactions. An extensive listing of thermochemical data is currently available for detailed simulations to assist with model setup, data interpretation and system understanding. In this chapter, simulations of U(VI) hydrolysis with variable pCO2 activities, U(IV) and U(VI) precipitation, U(VI) reduction and U(VI) complexation with carbonate and phosphate assemblages illustrate the usefulness and applicability of simulations in data analysis and experimental design.

**Keywords:** uranium hydrolysis, uranium complexation, uranium adsorption, simulation, soil
