@article{2320623,
    title = "The role of nano-perovskite in the negligible thorium release in seawater from Greek bauxite residue (red mud)",
    author = "Platon N. Gamaletsos and Athanasios Godelitsas and Takeshi Kasama and Alexei Kuzmin and Markus Lagos and Theo J. Mertzimekis and Jörg Göttlicher and Ralph Steininger and Stelios Xanthos and Yiannis Pontikes and George N. Angelopoulos and Charalampos Zarkadas and Aleksandr Komelkov and Evangelos Tzamos and Anestis Filippidis",
    journal = "Scientific Reports",
    year = "2016",
    volume = "6",
    number = "-",
    pages = "21737",
    publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
    issn = "2045-2322",
    keywords = "bauxite, thorium, red-mud, titanium, perovskite, nano, synchrotron, TEM",
    abstract = "We present new data about the chemical and structural characteristics of bauxite residue (BR) from
Greek Al industry, using a combination of microscopic, analytical, and spectroscopic techniques.
SEM-EDS indicated a homogeneous dominant “Al-Fe-Ca-Ti-Si-Na-Cr matrix”, appearing at the
microscale. The bulk chemical analyses showed considerable levels of Th (111 μg g−1), along with
minor U (15 μg g−1), which are responsible for radioactivity (355 and 133 Bq kg−1 for 232Th and 238U,
respectively) with a total dose rate of 295 nGy h−1. Leaching experiments, in conjunction with SFICP-
MS, using Mediterranean seawater from Greece, indicated significant release of V, depending on
S/L ratio, and negligible release of Th at least after 12 months leaching. STEM-EDS/EELS & HR-STEMHAADF
study of the leached BR at the nanoscale revealed that the significant immobility of Th4+ is due
to its incorporation into an insoluble perovskite-type phase with major composition of Ca0.8Na0.2TiO3
and crystallites observed in nanoscale. The Th LIII-edge EXAFS spectra demonstrated that Th4+ ions,
which are hosted in this novel nano-perovskite of BR, occupy Ca2+ sites, rather than Ti4+ sites. That is
most likely the reason of no Th release in Mediterranean seawater."
}