Fractionation studies of trace elements in Polish uranium-bearing geological materials: potential environmental impact

Abstract

The samples of U deposits from Podlasie Depression (East Poland) and Peribaltic Syneclise (Northeast Poland) were studied to state the U and accompanied metal content and to estimate a potential environmental impact caused by the studied area. Sequential extraction is an effective method for assessing the heavy metal behaviour in environment in such environmental materials as soils, sediments, different wastes and ores.

The modified Bureau of Reference of the European Commission sequential extraction procedure has been used for fractionation study of nine elements (U, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in two kinds of U ores: dictyonema shale and sandstone. The total content and the content in each fraction of metals of interest were determined by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method.

The obtained results show the high mobility of such elements as Co, Zn and Ni in shale and U, Co and Mn in sandstone. These results make it possible to assess the environmental risk associated with heavy metals occurring in tested U-bearing ores.

Keywords:

• uranium and accompanied elements
• BCR sequential extraction
• polish uranium ores
• dictyonema shale
• sandstone

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Operative Programme – Innovative Economy: ‘Analysis of the possibility of uranium supply from domestic resources’ [POIG 01.01.02-14-094-09-00].