Conceptual Modeling of the Humic Colloid-Borne Americium(III) Migration by a Kinetic Approach

Abstract

The humic colloid-borne Am(III) migration is investigated by laboratory experiment. As the reactions controlling the Am(III) migration are found to be not in equilibrium, the experimental results are interpreted by a kinetic model, i.e., the Kinetically Controlled Availability Model (KICAM). Model parameters determined by fitting experimental data in one groundwater sand system are applied (i) to describe the Am(III) sorption and migration behavior in three other groundwater sand systems with lower humic colloid concentrations and (ii) to calculate the recovery of modified column experiments with different column lengths. Further refinement and applicability of the laboratory calibrated model to a real system is considered briefly.