Speciation of uranium – from the environment to living cells

Abstract

Depleted uranium used a ammunition corrodes in the environment forming mineral phases and then dissolved uranium species like uranium carbonates (Schimmack et al. 2007) and hydroxides. These hydroxide species were contacted with plant cells (canula). After 24 h contact time the cells were fractionated and the uranium speciation in the fraction was determined by TRLFS (time resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy) at room temperature as well at 120 K. It could be shown that the uranium speciation in the fractions is different to that in the nutrient solution. Comparison of the emission bands with literature data allows assignment of the uranium binding forms.