Abstract
The complexation of neptunium(V), Np(V), with the acetate anion, Ac{sup -}, was measured in sodium chloride media to high concentration using an extraction technique. The data were interpreted using the thermodynamic formalism of Pitzer, which is valid to high electrolyte concentrations. A consistent model for the deprotonation constants of acetic acid in NaCl and NaClO{sub 4} media was developed. For the concentrations of acetate expected in a waste repository, only the neutral complex NpO{sub 2}Ac(aq) was important in describing the interactions between the neptunyl ion and acetate. The thermodynamic stability constant log {beta}{sup 0}{sub 101} for the reaction NpO{sub 2}{sup +} + Ac{sup -} {leftrightarrow} NpO{sub 2}Ac was calculated to be 1.46{plus_minus}0.11. This weak complexing behavior between the neptunyl ion and acetate indicates that acetate will not significantly enhance dissolved Np(V) concentrations in ground waters associated with nuclear waste repositories that may contain acetate.
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