Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

Chemical equilibrium calculations for multicomponent aqueous systems involving the reductive dissolution of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) with oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄) were performed using the HSC Chemistry® version 9. They were conducted with an aqueous solution model based on the Pitzer’s approach of one molality aqueous solution. The change in the amounts and activity coefficients of species and ions involved in the reactions as well as the solution pH at equilibrium was calculated while changing the amounts of raw materials (Fe₃O₄ and H₂C₂O₄) and the system temperature from 25°C to 125°C. In particular, the conditions under which Fe₃O₄ is completely dissolved at high temperatures were determined by varying the raw amount of H₂C₂O₄ and the temperature for a given raw amount of Fe₃O₄ fed into the aqueous solution. When the raw amount of H₂C₂O₄ added was small for a given raw amount of Fe₃O₄, no undissolved Fe₃O₄ was present in the solution and the pH of the solution increased significantly. The formation of ferrous oxalate complex (FeC₂O₄) was observed. The equilibrium amount of FeC₂O₄ decreased as the raw amount of H₂C₂O₄ increased.

Keywords

Chemical decontamination, Chemical equilibrium, Reductive dissolution, Magnetite, Oxalic acid