Use of natural radionuclides to predict the behavior of radwaste radionuclides in far-field aquifiers
In appropriate aquifers the natural radionuclides of the U and Th decay series are important sources of information about the behavior of radwaste radionuclides in far-field aquifers. The Wolfcamp Carbonate, Pennsylvanian Carbonate and Granite Wash aquifers in the Palo Duro Basin of the Texas Panhandle are prime examples of such aquifers. Sampling and analysis for key radionuclides in the ground waters of these aquifers are quite feasible and have been accomplished. Key early results are: (1) Ra does not appear to be retarded by sorption, (2) Th appears to be strongly sorbed, (3) kinetics seem to be different on time scales of days to months than on ones of hundreds of thousands of years, and (4) U and Th behave similarily when the time scales (half-lives) are similar, leading to the suggestion that uranium is in the +4 valence state in these aquifers. 10 references, 9 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6907600
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-11783; CONF-8311124-2; ON: DE84011900
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 7. international symposium on the scientific basis for nuclear waste management, Boston, MA, USA, 14 Nov 1983; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Disequilibrium study of natural radionuclides of uranium and thorium series in cores and briny groundwaters from Palo Duro Basin, Texas
Behavior of natural uranium, thorium, and radium isotopes in the Wolfcamp brine aquifers, Palo Duro Basin, Texas
Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUIFERS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
PALO DURO BASIN
THORIUM
ADSORPTION
URANIUM
BRINES
GEOCHEMISTRY
GROUND WATER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOCHEMISTRY
RADIUM
TEXAS
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMIAN BASIN
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SORPTION
USA
WASTES
WATER
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)
520301 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)