A study on the immobilization of selenium oxyanions by H2/Pd(s) in aqueous solution: confirmation of the one-electron reduction barrier of selenate.

Selenium is a trace element of concern in several geochemical contexts, due to the potentially high mobility of the selenium oxyanions and the narrow range between deficiency and toxicity of the element. For high level nuclear waste repositories the long-lived fission product 79Se has been identified as a potential key dose contributor for the long-term safety. This paper deals with the catalytic effect of Pd(s) on the H2 reduction of selenium oxyanions which was studied experimentally in aqueous solutions containing bicarbonate and chloride. Pd-catalysts and hydrogen have been proposed for the remediation of various groundwater contaminants and can also serve as a model substance for catalytic noble metal inclusions present in spent nuclear fuel. In this study selenite (SeO3(2)--) was found to adsorb on Pd. In the presence of hydrogen the rate of selenite removal increased yielding elemental Se. However, no adsorption or reduction of selenate (SeO4(2)--) was observed. A simple radiation chemical experiment revealed a notable barrier towards stepwise one-electron reduction of selenate to selenite. This provides an explanation for the lower reactivity of selenate in systems where reductive immobilization of selenite as well as selenate is thermodynamically favorable.