Evaluation of radionuclide geochemical information developed by DOE high-level nuclear waste repository site projects. Annual progress report, October 1983-September 1984. Volume 4

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5351895

Kelmers, A D; Kessler, J H; Seeley, F G; Arnold, W D; Meyer, R E; Smith, F J; Cutshall, N H; Jacobs, G K; Lee, S Y; Whatley, S K

Geochemical information relevant to the retention of radionuclides by candidate high-level nuclear waste geologic repositories being characterized by Department of Energy (DOE) projects is being evaluated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Emphasis has been given to the experimental evaluation of key radionuclides relevant to the Hanford Site being characterized by the Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP). In work by the BWIP, hydrazine was added to groundwater to simulate the reducing redox condition expected in the repository. Such laboratory methodology may not adequately model in situ repository geochemical conditions. We have been employing anoxic redox conditions to allow the basalt to establish the effective redox condition in batch contact sorption experiments. Sorption of Np(V) or Tc(VII) by basalt from synthetic groundwaters under anoxic redox conditions may involve chemisorption reduction reactions on the basalt surface. Our sorption ratio for neptunium under oxic redox conditions does not compare favorably with the value published by the BWIP. The published solubility of technetium under the reducing redox conditions expected by BWIP at the repository probably is based on calculations involving inadequate thermodynamic data. Under oxic redox conditions, our uranium sorption ratio was much lower than values reported by the BWIP. A mineralogical and chemical characterization was completed for the three basalt samples used in our work. Significant differences were seen in both the quantity and composition of the mesostasis. A potential deficiency in the information published by the BWIP is the absence of lithological information as well as mineralogical and chemical characterization for the basalt samples. 50 refs., 4 figs., 16 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5351895
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-3851-Vol.4; ORNL/TM-9191-Vol.4; ON: TI85018238; TRN: 85-022031
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
BASALT
MINERALOGY
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
GROUND WATER
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
NEPTUNIUM
SOLUBILITY
SORPTION
GEOCHEMISTRY
STRONTIUM
TECHNETIUM
URANIUM
EVALUATED DATA
EVALUATION
HANFORD RESERVATION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDRAZINE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CHEMISTRY
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)