RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The intent of this research effort is to: i) provide the basis for accurate modeling and prediction of actinide transport; ii) allow for remediation strategies to be planned that might use in-situ manipulations of geochemical variables to enhance (for extraction) or retard (for immobilization) Pu mobility in the groundwater zone; iii) identify specific Pu sources and the extent of far field, or long-term migration of transuranics in groundwater; iv) reduce costly uncertainty

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... in performance and risk assessment calculations. This new knowledge is essential to ensure continued public and worker safety at the DOE sites and the efficient management of cleanup and containment strategies. RESEARCH PROGRESS and IMPLICATIONS The following is a summary our findings as of year 3 of a 3 year project. Specific objectives of this project are: (1) the determination of the speciation of plutonium and other transuaranics (Am, Cm) in groundwater at the F area of the Savannah River Site. This includes the separation of Pu into particulate, colloidal and <1 kilo-Dalton dissolved phases and the determination of redox states and isotopic composition in each fraction; and (2) conduct laboratory tests using sitespecific sediment and groundwater to compare plutonium and curium sorption (e.g., cation exchange, surface complexation, and precipitation) and derived sorption mechanism constants.