Fate of Brine Applied to Unpaved Roads at a Radioactive Waste Subsurface Disposal Area

Hull, Larry C; Bishop, Carolyn W

Title: Fate of Brine Applied to Unpaved Roads at a Radioactive Waste Subsurface Disposal Area

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Abstract

Between 1984 and 1993, MgCl2 brine was used to suppress dust on unpaved roads at a radioactive waste subsurface disposal area. Because Cl– might enhance corrosion of buried metals in the waste, we investigated the distribution and fate of Cl– in the vadose zone using pore water samples collected from suction lysimeters and soluble salt concentrations extracted from sediment samples. The Cl/Br mass ratio and the total dissolved Cl– concentration of pore water show that brine contamination occurs primarily within 13 m of treated roads, but can extend as much as 30 m laterally in near-surface sedimentary deposits. Within the deep vadose zone, which consists of interlayered basalt lava flows and sedimentary interbeds, brine has moved up to 110 m laterally. This lateral migration suggests formation of perched water and horizontal transport during periods of high recharge. In a few locations, brine migrated to depths of 67 m within 3 to 5 yr. Elevated Cl– concentrations were found to depths of 2 m in roadbed material. In drainage ditches along roads, where runoff accumulates and recharge of surface water is high, Cl– was flushed from the sediments in 3 to 4 yr. In areas of lower recharge, Cl– remained inmore »« less

Authors:: Hull, Larry C; Bishop, Carolyn W

Publication Date:: Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2004

Research Org.:: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 912228

Report Number(s):: INEEL/JOU-03-01157
TRN: US0800328

DOE Contract Number:: DE-AC07-99ID-13727

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Vadose Zone Journal

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 3; Journal Issue: 1

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 12 - MGMT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; BASALT; BRINES; CONTAMINATION; CORROSION; DRAINAGE; DUSTS; LAVA; LYSIMETERS; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RUNOFF; SEDIMENTS; SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION; SURFACE WATERS; TRANSPORT; WATER; brine; unpaved roads

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                    Hull, Larry C, and Bishop, Carolyn W. Fate of Brine Applied to Unpaved Roads at a Radioactive Waste Subsurface Disposal Area.  United States: N. p., 2004. 
        Web.

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                    Hull, Larry C, & Bishop, Carolyn W. Fate of Brine Applied to Unpaved Roads at a Radioactive Waste Subsurface Disposal Area.  United States.

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                    Hull, Larry C, and Bishop, Carolyn W. 2004.  
        "Fate of Brine Applied to Unpaved Roads at a Radioactive Waste Subsurface Disposal Area".  United States.

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@article{osti_912228,

  title        = {Fate of Brine Applied to Unpaved Roads at a Radioactive Waste Subsurface Disposal Area},

  author       = {Hull, Larry C and Bishop, Carolyn W},

  abstractNote = {Between 1984 and 1993, MgCl2 brine was used to suppress dust on unpaved roads at a radioactive waste subsurface disposal area. Because Cl– might enhance corrosion of buried metals in the waste, we investigated the distribution and fate of Cl– in the vadose zone using pore water samples collected from suction lysimeters and soluble salt concentrations extracted from sediment samples. The Cl/Br mass ratio and the total dissolved Cl– concentration of pore water show that brine contamination occurs primarily within 13 m of treated roads, but can extend as much as 30 m laterally in near-surface sedimentary deposits. Within the deep vadose zone, which consists of interlayered basalt lava flows and sedimentary interbeds, brine has moved up to 110 m laterally. This lateral migration suggests formation of perched water and horizontal transport during periods of high recharge. In a few locations, brine migrated to depths of 67 m within 3 to 5 yr. Elevated Cl– concentrations were found to depths of 2 m in roadbed material. In drainage ditches along roads, where runoff accumulates and recharge of surface water is high, Cl– was flushed from the sediments in 3 to 4 yr. In areas of lower recharge, Cl– remained in the sediments after 5 yr. Vertical brine movement is directly related to surface recharge through sediments. The distribution of Cl– in pore water and sediments is consistent with estimates of vadose zone residence times and spatial distribution of surface water recharge from other investigations at the subsurface disposal area.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/912228},
  journal      = {Vadose Zone Journal},
number       = 1,

  volume       = 3,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2004},

  month        = {Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2004}

}

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