Continuous electrophoretic separation of106Ru species in sea water and uptake of the separated fractions by sea algae

Abstract

106Ru chloro and nitrosyl-nitrato complexes in sea water were separated into several species by continuous electrophoresis on a filter paper curtain. Biological uptake experiments were carried out on sea algae Fucus virsoides with fractionated106Ru chloro and nitrosyl-nitrato complex species in sea water. The biological uptake of106Ru chloro complex species was about 8 times higher than the uptake of106Ru nitrosyl-nitrato species. Electrophoretically most mobile electrically positively charged cationic species in both systems also showed about 8 times higher biological uptake than the most mobile negatively charged anionic species. A close relation of the biological uptake to the sign of the electrical charge and the electrophoretic mobility of the species is demonstrated. The results are discussed with respect to possible danger to the biological environment as a consequence of the aging of ruthenium species in sea water resulting from106Ru waste disposal to the sea from a nuclear reprocessing plant.