Investigation of the uranium solubility and absorption

Particles of uranium oxides were produced by combustion of depleted uranium (isotopic contents: 99.8% U-238, 0.2% U-235). Solubility of uranium oxides as well as solubility of metallic uranium in water of various pH values was investigated by X-ray spectroscopy. Also, eventual absorption of dissolved uranium oxides by plants from uranium contaminated ground was investigated. A thin uranium-oxide layer was spread on the soil planted with various vegetables. After a two-month vegetation period the uranium originated radioactivity in the vegetable samples were measured by X-ray spectroscopy and compared with the measurements of samples treated likewise, but in soil without addition of uranium. Due to low radioactivity of the vegetable samples, the spectra were analyzed using Bayesian inference, too.