Geochemistry of trench leachates at low-level radioactive waste burial sites
Abstract
Trench leachates from the low-level radioactive waste burial sites at Maxey Flats, Kentucky and Barnwell, South Carolina were sampled and analyzed for dissolved inorganic, organic, and radionuclide constituents. Relative to local groundwaters, the trench leachates exhibit significant modifications in major ion and radionuclide compositions. The formation and composition of the leachates can be attributed to site-specific hydrological and geochemical factors. Leaching and microbial degradation of waste materials are considered to be the important geochemical processes controlling the leachate compositions. Elevated concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, and various anthropogenic radionuclides reflect leaching of waste materials. Anoxic conditions as characterized by depletion of dissolved oxygen and sulphate, and high contents of alkalinity and ammonia reflect microbial decomposition of organic waste materials. Because of relatively stagnant water accumulations, the extent of modification is much greater in the Maxey Flats leachates as compared with those from Barnwell. 8 references, 2 figures, 2 tables.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6928842
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-NUREG-34596; CONF-8405144-1
ON: DE84010800
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International groundwater symposium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 21 May 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; GROUND WATER; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; LEACHATES; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; LEACHING; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; GEOCHEMISTRY; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; KENTUCKY; SOUTH CAROLINA; UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL; CHEMISTRY; DATA; DISPERSIONS; DISSOLUTION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; FEDERAL REGION IV; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; INFORMATION; MANAGEMENT; MASS TRANSFER; MATERIALS; MIXTURES; NORTH AMERICA; NUMERICAL DATA; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SOLUTIONS; USA; WASTE DISPOSAL; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTES; WATER; 052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage; 053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects; 520301 - Environment, Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987); 510301 - Environment, Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Soil- (-1987)
Citation Formats
Dayal, R, Pietrzak, R F, and Clinton, J. Geochemistry of trench leachates at low-level radioactive waste burial sites. United States: N. p., 1984.
Web.
Dayal, R, Pietrzak, R F, & Clinton, J. Geochemistry of trench leachates at low-level radioactive waste burial sites. United States.
Dayal, R, Pietrzak, R F, and Clinton, J. 1984.
"Geochemistry of trench leachates at low-level radioactive waste burial sites". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6928842.
@article{osti_6928842,
title = {Geochemistry of trench leachates at low-level radioactive waste burial sites},
author = {Dayal, R and Pietrzak, R F and Clinton, J},
abstractNote = {Trench leachates from the low-level radioactive waste burial sites at Maxey Flats, Kentucky and Barnwell, South Carolina were sampled and analyzed for dissolved inorganic, organic, and radionuclide constituents. Relative to local groundwaters, the trench leachates exhibit significant modifications in major ion and radionuclide compositions. The formation and composition of the leachates can be attributed to site-specific hydrological and geochemical factors. Leaching and microbial degradation of waste materials are considered to be the important geochemical processes controlling the leachate compositions. Elevated concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, and various anthropogenic radionuclides reflect leaching of waste materials. Anoxic conditions as characterized by depletion of dissolved oxygen and sulphate, and high contents of alkalinity and ammonia reflect microbial decomposition of organic waste materials. Because of relatively stagnant water accumulations, the extent of modification is much greater in the Maxey Flats leachates as compared with those from Barnwell. 8 references, 2 figures, 2 tables.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6928842},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984}
}