Sorption behaviour of Am on marl groundwater colloids.

The sorption of americium on marl colloids is studied in a comprehensive way. In Na-HCO3 groundwater conditions, americium in the concentration range 3 x 10(-11)-3 x 10(10) M sorbs onto groundwater colloids. In these tests, the colloid concentration is rather high, i.e. Ccoll 1.7+/-1.3 mg l(-1) for sizes 505000 nm or Ncoll (1.7+/-0.1) x 10(11) l(-1) for sizes larger than 100 nm. These colloids are mainly chlorite and smectite/illite with an average size smaller than 500 nm. For the groundwater (pH 8.6, Na+]-HCO3]-2 x 10(-2) M), Kd values in the range 1-3 x 10(6)mlg(-1) are measured. These values are compared with experimental and modelled values reported earlier in the literature.