Biostimulation of indigenous microbes for uranium bioremediation in former U mine water: multidisciplinary approach assessment.

Characterizing uranium (U) mine water is necessary to understand and design an effective bioremediation strategy. In this study, water samples from two former U-mines in East Germany were analysed. The U and sulphate (SO42-) concentrations of Schlema-Alberoda mine water (U: 1 mg/L; SO42-: 335 mg/L) were 2 and 3 order of magnitude higher than those of the Pöhla sample (U: 0.01 mg/L; SO42-: 0.5 mg/L). U and SO42- seemed to influence the microbial diversity of the two water samples. Microbial diversity analysis identified U(VI)-reducing bacteria (e.g. Desulfurivibrio) and wood-degrading fungi (e.g. Cadophora) providing as electron donors for the growth of U-reducers. U-bioreduction experiments were performed to screen electron donors (glycerol, vanillic acid, and gluconic acid) for Schlema-Alberoda U-mine water bioremediation purpose. Thermodynamic speciation calculations show that under experimental conditions, U(VI) is not coordinated to the amended electron donors. Glycerol was the best-studied electron donor as it effectively removed 99% of soluble U, 95% of Fe, and 58% of SO42- from the mine water, probably by biostimulation of indigenous microbes. Vanillic acid removed 90% of U, and no U removal occurred using gluconic acid.

Application of community data to surface complexation modeling framework development: Iron oxide protolysis.

This study presents a comprehensive community data-driven surface complexation modeling framework for simulating potentiometric titration of mineral surfaces. Compiled community data for ferrihydrite, goethite, hematite, and magnetite are fit to produce representative protolysis constants that can reproduce potentiometric titration data collected from multiple literature sources. Using this framework, the impact of surface complexation model type and surface site density (SSD) on the fit quality and protolysis constants can be readily evaluated. For example, the non-electrostatic model yielded a poor data fit compared to diffuse double layer model and constant capacitance models due to the absence of known surface charge effects. Regardless of the choice of iron oxide mineral, pKa1 decreased with increasing SSD while the opposite tendency was observed for pKa2. This newly developed framework demonstrates a method to reconcile community data-wide potentiometric titration data using Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable data principles to produce mineral protolysis constants that improve robustness of surface complexation models for applications in metal sorption and reactive transport modeling. The framework is readily expandable (as community data increase) and extensible (as the number of minerals increase). The framework provides a path forward for developing self-consistent, comprehensive, and updateable surface complexation databases for surface complexation and reactive transport modeling.

Presence of uranium(V) during uranium(VI) reduction by Desulfosporosinus hippei DSM 8344T.

Microbial U(VI) reduction influences uranium mobility in contaminated subsurface environments and can affect the disposal of high-level radioactive waste by transforming the water-soluble U(VI) to less mobile U(IV). The reduction of U(VI) by the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfosporosinus hippei DSM 8344T, a close phylogenetic relative to naturally occurring microorganism present in clay rock and bentonite, was investigated. D. hippei DSM 8344T showed a relatively fast removal of uranium from the supernatants in artificial Opalinus Clay pore water, but no removal in 30 mM bicarbonate solution. Combined speciation calculations and luminescence spectroscopic investigations showed the dependence of U(VI) reduction on the initial U(VI) species. Scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed uranium-containing aggregates on the cell surface and some membrane vesicles. By combining different spectroscopic techniques, including UV/Vis spectroscopy, as well as uranium M4-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure recorded in high-energy-resolution fluorescence-detection mode and extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, the partial reduction of U(VI) could be verified, whereby the formed U(IV) product has an unknown structure. Furthermore, the U M4 HERFD-XANES showed the presence of U(V) during the process. These findings offer new insights into U(VI) reduction by sulfate-reducing bacteria and contribute to a comprehensive safety concept for a repository for high-level radioactive waste.

Community Data Mining Approach for Surface Complexation Database Development.

This paper presents a comprehensive data-to-model workflow, including a findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable (FAIR) community sorption database (newly developed LLNL Surface Complexation/Ion Exchange (L-SCIE) database) along with a data fitting workflow to efficiently optimize surface complexation reaction constants with multiple surface complexation model (SCM) constructs. This workflow serves as a universal framework to mine, compile, and analyze large numbers of published sorption data as well as to estimate reaction constants for parameterizing reactive transport models. The framework includes (1) data digitization from published papers, (2) data unification including unit conversions, and (3) data-model integration and reaction constant estimation using geochemical software PHREEQC coupled with the universal parameter estimation code PEST. We demonstrate our approach using an analysis of U(VI) sorption to quartz based on a first L-SCIE implementation, concluding that a multisite SCM construct with carbonate surface species yielded the best fit to community data. Surface complexation reaction constants extracted from this approach captured all available sorption data available in the literature and provided insight into previously published reaction constants and surface complexation model constructs. The L-SCIE sorption database presented herein allows for automating this approach across a wide range of metals and minerals and implementing novel machine learning approaches to reactive transport in the future.

Bioassociation of U(VI) and Eu(III) by Plant (Brassica napus) Suspension Cell Cultures-A Spectroscopic Investigation.

In this study, we investigated the interaction of U(VI) and Eu(III) with Brassica napus suspension plant cells as a model system. Concentration-dependent (0-200 µM) bioassociation experiments showed that more than 75% of U(VI) and Eu(III) were immobilized by the cells. In addition to this phenomenon, time-dependent studies for 1 to 72 h of exposure showed a multistage bioassociation process for cells that were exposed to 200 µM U(VI), where, after initial immobilization of U(VI) within 1 h of exposure, it was released back into the culture medium starting within 24 h. A remobilization to this extent has not been previously observed. The MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay was used to correlate the bioassociation behavior of Eu and U with the cell vitality. Speciation studies by spectroscopy and in silico methods highlighted various U and Eu species over the course of exposure. We were able to observe a new U species, which emerged simultaneously with the remobilization of U back into the solution, which we assume to be a U(VI) phosphate species. Thus, the interaction of U(VI) and Eu(III) with released plant metabolites could be concluded.

The effect of four lanthanides onto a rat kidney cell line (NRK-52E) is dependent on the composition of the cell culture medium.

Lanthanide (Ln) exposure poses a serious health risk to animals and humans. In this study, we investigated the effect of 10-9-10-3 M La, Ce, Eu, and Yb exposure onto the viability of rat renal NRK-52E cells in dependence on Ln concentration, exposure time, and composition of the cell culture medium. Especially, the influence of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and citrate onto Ln cytotoxicity, solubility, and speciation was investigated. For this, in vitro cell viability studies using the XTT assay and fluorescence microscopic investigations were combined with solubility and speciation studies using TRLFS and ICP-MS, respectively. The theoretical Ln speciation was predicted using thermodynamic modeling. All Ln exhibit a concentration- and time-dependent effect on NRK-52E cells. FBS is the key parameter influencing both Ln solubility and cytotoxicity. We demonstrate that FBS is able to bind Ln3+ ions, thus, promoting solubility and reducing cytotoxicity after Ln exposure for 24 and 48 h. In contrast, citrate addition to the cell culture medium has no significant effect on Ln solubility and speciation nor cytotoxicity after Ln exposure for 24 and 48 h. However, a striking increase of cell viability is observable after Ln exposure for 8 h. Out of the four Ln elements under investigation, Ce is the most effective. Results from TRLFS and solubility measurements correlate well to those from in vitro cell culture experiments. In contrast, results from thermodynamic modeling do not correlate to TRLFS results, hence, demonstrating that big gaps in the database render this method, currently, inapplicable for the prediction of Ln speciation in cell culture media. Finally, this study demonstrates the importance and the synergistic effects of combining chemical and spectroscopic methods with cell culture techniques and biological methods.

Technetium immobilization by chukanovite and its oxidative transformation products: Neural network analysis of EXAFS spectra.

The uptake of the fission product technetium (Tc) by chukanovite, an FeII hydroxy carbonate mineral formed as a carbon steel corrosion product in anoxic and carbonate-rich environments, was studied under anoxic, alkaline to hyperalkaline conditions representative for nuclear waste repositories in deep geological formations with cement-based inner linings. The retention potential of chukanovite towards TcVII is high in the pH range 7.8 to 12.6, evidenced by high solid-water distribution coefficients, log Rd ~ 6, and independent of ionic strength (0.1 or 1 M NaCl). Using Tc K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) two series of samples were investigated, Tc chukanovite sorption samples and coprecipitates, prepared with varying Tc loadings, pH values and contact times. From the resulting 37 XAS spectra, spectral endmembers and their dependence on chemical parameters were derived by self-organizing (Kohonen) maps (SOM), a neural network-based approach of machine learning. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) data confirmed the complete reduction of TcVII to TcIV by chukanovite under all experimental conditions. Consistent with mineralogical phases identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SOM analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectra revealed the presence of three species in the sorption samples, the speciation predominately controlled by pH: Between pH 7.8 and 11.8, TcO2-dimers form inner-sphere sorption complexes at the surface of the initial chukanovite as well as on the surface of secondary magnetite formed due to redox reaction. At pH ≥ 11.9, TcIV is incorporated in a mixed, chukanovite-like, Fe/Tc hydroxy carbonate precipitate. The same species formed when using the coprecipitation approach. Reoxidation of sorption samples resulted in a small remobilization of Tc, demonstrating that both the original chukanovite mineral and its oxidative transformation products, magnetite and goethite, contribute to the immobilization of Tc in the long term, thus strongly attenuating its environmental transport.

Uranium(VI) toxicity in tobacco BY-2 cell suspension culture - A physiological study.

For the first time, the physiological and cellular responses of Nicotiana tabacum (BY-2) cells to uranium (U) as an abiotic stressor were studied using a multi-analytic approach that combined biochemical analysis, thermodynamic modeling and spectroscopic studies. The goal of this investigation was to determine the U threshold toxicity in tobacco BY-2 cells, the influence of U on the homeostasis of micro-macro essential nutrients, as well as the effect of Fe starvation on U bioassociation in cultured BY-2 cells. Our findings demonstrated that U interferes with the homeostasis of essential elements. The interaction of U with BY-2 cells confirmed both time- and concentration-dependent kinetics. Under Fe deficiency, a reduced level of U was detected in the cells compared to Fe-sufficient conditions. Interestingly, blocking the Ca channels with gadolinium chloride caused a decrease in U concentration in the BY-2 cells. Spectroscopic studies evidenced changes in the U speciation in the culture media with increasing exposure time under both Fe-sufficient and deficient conditions, leading us to conclude that different stress response reactions are related to Fe metabolism. Moreover, it is suggested that U toxicity in BY-2 cells is highly dependent on the existence of other micro-macro elements as shown by negative synergistic effects of U and Fe on cell viability.

Uranium and neptunium retention mechanisms in Gallionella ferruginea/ferrihydrite systems for remediation purposes.

The ubiquitous ß-Proteobacterium Gallionella ferruginea is known as stalk-forming, microaerophilic iron(II) oxidizer, which rapidly produces iron oxyhydroxide precipitates. Uranium and neptunium sorption on the resulting intermixes of G. ferruginea cells, stalks, extracellular exudates, and precipitated iron oxyhydroxides (BIOS) was compared to sorption to abiotically formed iron oxides and oxyhydroxides. The results show a high sorption capacity of BIOS towards radionuclides at circumneutral pH values with an apparent bulk distribution coefficient (Kd) of 1.23 × 104 L kg-1 for uranium and 3.07 × 105 L kg-1 for neptunium. The spectroscopic approach by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and ATR FT-IR spectroscopy, which was applied on BIOS samples, showed the formation of inner-sphere complexes. The structural data obtained at the uranium LIII-edge and the neptunium LIII-edge indicate the formation of bidentate edge-sharing surface complexes, which are known as the main sorption species on abiotic ferrihydrite. Since the rate of iron precipitation in G. ferruginea-dominated systems is 60 times faster than in abiotic systems, more ferrihydrite will be available for immobilization processes of heavy metals and radionuclides in contaminated environments and even in the far-field of high-level nuclear waste repositories.

Thermodynamic and structural aspects of the aqueous uranium(iv) system - hydrolysis vs. sulfate complexation.

The aquatic species of U(iv) in acidic aqueous solution in the presence of sulfate were studied in the micromolar range by a combined approach of optical spectroscopy (UV/vis and mid-IR), quantum-chemical calculations (QCC), and thermodynamic modelling. The number of species occurring in solution within the pH range 0-2 was assessed by decomposition and fitting of photometric spectra using HypSpec and Geochemist's Workbench software. Single component spectra of U4+, UOH3+, USO42+ and U(SO4)2 were obtained and extinction coefficients ελ were calculated to be 61.7, 19.2, 47.6 and 40.3 L mol-1 cm-1, respectively. Complex formation constants of two U(iv) sulfate species and the first hydrolysis species UOH3+ in infinitely diluted solution were determined by thermodynamic modelling to be log ß = 6.9 ± 0.3, log ß = 11.8 ± 0.5 and log ß = -(0.36 ± 0.1), respectively. No further U(iv) sulfate and hydrolysis species were observed under the prevailing conditions. Molecular structural information of the sulfate species was derived from vibrational spectra and QCC exhibiting a predominant monodentate coordination of the sulfate ions.

Effect of four lanthanides onto the viability of two mammalian kidney cell lines.

Exposure to lanthanides (Ln) poses a serious health risk to animals and humans. Since Ln are mainly excreted with urine, we investigated the effect of La, Ce, Eu, and Yb exposure on renal rat NRK-52E and human HEK-293 cells for 8, 24, and 48 h in vitro. Cell viability studies using the XTT assay and microscopic investigations were combined with solubility and speciation studies using ICP-MS and TRLFS. Thermodynamic modeling was applied to predict the speciation of Ln in the cell culture medium. All Ln show a concentration- and time-dependent effect on both cell lines with Ce being the most potent element. In cell culture medium, the Ln are completely soluble and most probably complexed with proteins from fetal bovine serum. The results of this study underline the importance of combining biological, chemical, and spectroscopic methods in studying the effect of Ln on cells in vitro and may contribute to the improvement of the current risk assessment for Ln in the human body. Furthermore, they demonstrate that Ln seem to have no effect on renal cells in vitro at environmental trace concentrations. Nevertheless, especially Ce has the potential for harmful effects at elevated concentrations observed in mining and industrial areas.

Stability of U(VI) doped calcium silicate hydrate gel in repository-relevant brines studied by leaching experiments and spectroscopy.

The stability of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel doped with uranium to form calcium uranium silicate hydrate (C-U-S-H) gel was investigated in 2.5 M NaCl, 2.5 M NaCl/0.02 M Na2SO4, 2.5 M NaCl/0.02 M NaHCO3 or 0.02 M NaHCO3 solutions relevant to the geological disposal of radioactive waste. The C-U-S-H gel samples were synthesized by direct U(VI) incorporation and characterized with time-resolved laser-induced luminescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Time-dependent pH changes as well as the Ca, Si and U release from C-U-S-H gels into the brines, determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), were monitored for three calcium-to-silicon (C/S) ratios (0.99, 1.55 and 2.02) over 32 d. Subsequently, changes of the U(VI) speciation and C-S-H mineralogy caused by leaching were investigated with TRLFS, IR spectroscopy and XRD. Results indicated that composition and pH value of the leaching solution, the presence of portlandite as well as formation and solubility of calcite as secondary phase determine the U(VI) retention by C-S-H gel under high saline and alkaline conditions. At high ionic strengths, the Ca release from C-S-H and secondary phases like calcite is increased. Under hyperalkaline conditions only small amounts of U(VI) were released during leaching. A decrease of the pH due to the additional presence of carbonate was linked with an increased U(VI) release from C-S-H gel leading to the formation of aqueous calcium uranyl carbonate in the supernatant solution.

Calorimetrically Determined U(VI) Toxicity in Brassica napus Correlates with Oxidoreductase Activity and U(VI) Speciation.

Radioecological studies depend on the quantitative toxicity assessment of environmental radionuclides. At low dose exposure, the life span of affected organisms is barely shortened, enabling the transfer of radionuclides through an almost-intact food chain. Lethality-based toxicity estimates are not adequate in this regime because they require higher concentrations. However, increased radionuclide concentration alters its speciation, rendering the extrapolation to the low dose exposure chemically inconsistent. Here, we demonstrate that microcalorimetry provides a sensitive real-time monitor of toxicity of uranium (in the U(VI) oxidation state) in a plant cell model of Brassica napus. We introduce the calorimetric descriptor "metabolic capacity" and show that it correlates with enzymatically determined cell viability. It is independent of physiological models and robust against the naturally occurring fluctuations in the metabolic response to U(VI) of plant cell cultures. In combination with time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and thermodynamic modeling, we show that the plant cell metabolism is affected predominantly by hydroxo-species of U(VI) with an IC50 threshold of ∼90 µM. The data emphasize the yet-little-exploited potential of microcalorimetry for the speciation-sensitive ecotoxicology of radionuclides.

Plutonium interaction studies with the Mont Terri Opalinus Clay isolate Sporomusa sp. MT-2.99: changes in the plutonium speciation by solvent extractions.

Since plutonium could be released from nuclear waste disposal sites, the exploration of the complex interaction processes between plutonium and bacteria is necessary for an improved understanding of the fate of plutonium in the vicinity of such a nuclear waste disposal site. In this basic study, the interaction of plutonium with cells of the bacterium, Sporomusa sp. MT-2.99, isolated from Mont Terri Opalinus Clay, was investigated anaerobically (in 0.1 M NaClO4) with or without adding Na-pyruvate as an electron donor. The cells displayed a strong pH-dependent affinity for Pu. In the absence of Na-pyruvate, a strong enrichment of stable Pu(V) in the supernatants was discovered, whereas Pu(IV) polymers dominated the Pu oxidation state distribution on the biomass at pH 6.1. A pH-dependent enrichment of the lower Pu oxidation states (e.g., Pu(III) at pH 6.1 which is considered to be more mobile than Pu(IV) formed at pH 4) was observed in the presence of up to 10 mM Na-pyruvate. In all cases, the presence of bacterial cells enhanced removal of Pu from solution and accelerated Pu interaction reactions, e.g., biosorption and bioreduction.

NeptuniumV Retention by Siderite under Anoxic Conditions: Precipitation of NpO2-Like Nanoparticles and of NpIV Pentacarbonate.

The NpV retention by siderite, an FeII carbonate mineral with relevance for the near-field of high-level radioactive waste repositories, was investigated under anoxic conditions. Batch sorption experiments show that siderite has a high affinity for aqueous NpVO2+ across pH 7 to 13 as expressed by solid-water distribution coefficients, log Rd, > 5, similar to the log Rd determined for the (solely) tetravalent actinide Th on calcite, suggesting reduction of NpV to NpIV by siderite. Np L3-edge X-ray absorption near edge (XANES) spectroscopy conducted in a pH range typical for siderite-containing host rocks (7-8), confirmed the tetravalent Np oxidation state. Extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy revealed a local structure in line with NpO2-like nanoparticles with diameter < 1 nm, a result further corroborated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The low solubility of these NpO2-like nanoparticles (∼10-9 M), along with their negligible surface charge at neutral pH conditions which favors particle aggregation, suggest an efficient retention of Np in the near-field of radioactive waste repositories. When NpV was added to ferrous carbonate solution, the subsequent precipitation of siderite did not lead to a structural incorporation of NpIV by siderite, but caused precipitation of a NpIV pentacarbonate phase.

Speciation Studies of Metals in Trace Concentrations: The Mononuclear Uranyl(VI) Hydroxo Complexes.

A direct luminescence spectroscopic experimental setup for the determination of complex stability constants of mononuclear uranyl(VI) hydrolysis species is presented. The occurrence of polynuclear species is prevented by using a low uranyl(VI) concentration of 10­8 M (2.4 ppb). Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectra were recorded in the pH range from 3 to 10.5. Deconvolution with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) resulted in three hydrolysis complexes. A tentative assignment was based on thermodynamic calculations: UO22+, UO2(OH)+, UO2(OH)2, UO2(OH)3­. An implementation of a Newton­Raphson algorithm into PARAFAC allowed a direct extraction of complex stability constants during deconvolution yielding log(ß1M,1°C)1:1 = −4.6, log(ß1M,1°C)1:2 = −12.2, log(ß1M,1°C)1:3 = −22.3. Extrapolation to standard conditions gave log(ß0)1:1 = −3.9, log(ß0)1:2 = −10.9, and log(ß0)1:3 = −20.7. Luminescence characteristics (band position, lifetime) of the individual mononuclear hydroxo species were derived to serve as a reference data set for further investigations. A correlation of luminescence spectroscopic features with Raman frequencies was demonstrated for the mononuclear uranyl(VI) hydroxo complexes for the first time. Thereby a signal-to-structure correlation was achieved and the complex assignment validated.

Short communication: Practical issues in implementing volatile metabolite analysis for identifying mastitis pathogens.

Several parameters for improving volatile metabolite analysis using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of volatile metabolites were evaluated in the framework of identification of mastitis-causing pathogens. Previous research showed that the results of such volatile metabolites analysis were comparable with those based on bacteriological culturing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of several method changes on the applicability and potential implementation of this method in practice. The use of a relatively polar column is advantageous, resulting in a faster and less complex chromatographic setup with a higher resolving power yielding higher-quality data. Before volatile metabolite analysis is applied, a minimum incubation of 8h is advised, as reducing incubation time leads to less reliable pathogen identification. Application of GC-MS remained favorable compared with regular gas chromatography. The complexity and cost of a GC-MS system are such that this limits the application of the method in practice for identification of mastitis-causing pathogens.

Interaction of Eu(III) with mammalian cells: Cytotoxicity, uptake, and speciation as a function of Eu(III) concentration and nutrient composition.

In case of the release of lanthanides and actinides into the environment, knowledge about their behavior in biological systems is necessary to assess and prevent adverse health effects for humans. We investigated the interaction of europium with FaDu cells (human squamous cell carcinoma cell line) combining analytical methods, spectroscopy, and thermodynamic modeling with in-vitro cell experiments under defined conditions. Both the cytotoxicity of Eu(III) onto FaDu cells and its cellular uptake are mainly concentration-dependent. Moreover, they are governed by its chemical speciation in the nutrient medium. In complete cell culture medium, i.e., in the presence of fetal bovine serum, Eu(III) is stabilized in solution in a wide concentration range by complexation with serum proteins resulting in low cytotoxicity and cellular Eu(III) uptake. In serum-free medium, Eu(III) precipitates as hardly soluble phosphate species, exhibiting a significantly higher cytotoxicity and slightly higher cellular uptake. The presence of a tenfold excess of citrate in serum-free medium causes the formation of Eu(HCit)2(3-) complexes in addition to the dominating Eu(III) phosphate species, resulting in a decreased Eu(III) cytotoxicity and cellular uptake. The results of this study underline the crucial role of a metal ion's speciation for its toxicity and bioavailability.

In situ spectroscopic identification of neptunium(V) inner-sphere complexes on the hematite-water interface.

Hematite plays a decisive role in regulating the mobility of contaminants in rocks and soils. The Np(V) reactions at the hematite-water interface were comprehensively investigated by a combined approach of in situ vibrational spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and surface complexation modeling. A variety of sorption parameters such as Np(V) concentration, pH, ionic strength, and the presence of bicarbonate was considered. Time-resolved IR spectroscopic sorption experiments at the iron oxide-water interface evidenced the formation of a single monomer Np(V) inner-sphere sorption complex. EXAFS provided complementary information on bidentate edge-sharing coordination. In the presence of atmospherically derived bicarbonate the formation of the bis-carbonato inner-sphere complex was confirmed supporting previous EXAFS findings.1 The obtained molecular structure allows more reliable surface complexation modeling of recent and future macroscopic data. Such confident modeling is mandatory for evaluating water contamination and for predicting the fate and migration of radioactive contaminants in the subsurface environment as it might occur in the vicinity of a radioactive waste repository or a reprocessing plant.