Investigating the role of Na-bentonite colloids in facilitating Sr transport in granite minerals through column experiments and modeling

Abstract

Colloids play a crucial role in influencing the mobility of radionuclides in high-level radioactive waste repositories. However, the co-transport behavior of radionuclides and colloids in geological media remains insufficiently understood. This study investigated the transport of Strontium (Sr) in four types of granite minerals (quartz, biotite, K-feldspar, and plagioclase) in the presence and absence of Na-bentonite colloids (Na-BC) using column experiments. Employing a stepwise modeling strategy, this study first determined the basic flow and transport parameters through breakthrough curve analysis of the conservative tracer (Br). Then, the experimental data of Sr in the colloid-free Sr transport experiments and Na-BC in the Sr-colloid co-transport experiments were quantitatively explained using a two-site sorption model and a two kinetic sites model, respectively. Finally, the co-transport behavior of Sr and Na-BC was fitted using the colloid-facilitated solute transport model. The stepwise modeling allowed quantification of the kinetics of Sr sorption onto mobile and immobile Na-BC and highlighted the role of straining in Na-BC retention. In the absence of Na-BC, Sr transport experienced the greatest retardation in biotite, followed by plagioclase, K-feldspar, and quartz, respectively, which positively correlated with the specific surface area of the minerals. Moreover, Na-BC enhanced Sr transport with the same retardation order in all tested minerals, with recovery rate increments of 68.61%, 19.21%, 6.67%, and 4.33%, respectively. The transport of Sr in K-feldspar was found to be less affected by Na-BC compared to the other tested minerals, likely due to the strong cation exchange capacity of K+ among the cation components of minerals, making hydrated K+ more likely to exchange with Sr2+ on K-feldspar surfaces. These findings hold significant implications for assessing the risks associated with the transport of radionuclides in deep geological repositories.