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Title: Coupling Sorption to Soil Weathering during Reactive Transport: Impacts of Mineral Transformation and Sorbate Aging on Contaminant Speciation and Mobility

Abstract

The Hanford subsurface has become contaminated with highly alkaline, radioactive waste generated as a result of weapons production. The radioactive brine was stored in underground storage tanks, a number of which developed leaks and contaminated the surrounding subsurface. The high pH and ionic strength of these wastes has been predicted to accelerate the degree of soil weathering to produce new mineral phases--cancrinite and sodalite among the most abundant. Previous work has demonstrated that Cs and Sr, which along with I represent the most radioactive components in the waste, are sequestered by these neo-formed solids. The present work is aimed at assessing the stability of these neo-formed solids, with special emphasis on the degree of Cs, Sr and I release under ambient (neutral pH, low ionic strength) conditions expected to return to the Hanford area after the caustic radioactive brine waste is removed.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
896198
Report Number(s):
ERSD-1027673-2006
R&D Project: ERSD 1027673; TRN: US0700701
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 58 GEOSCIENCES; AGING; BRINES; PRODUCTION; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; SOILS; SORPTION; STABILITY; TANKS; TRANSFORMATIONS; TRANSPORT; UNDERGROUND STORAGE; WASTES; WEAPONS; WEATHERING

Citation Formats

Steefel, Carl I, Thompson, Aaron, and Chorover, Jon. Coupling Sorption to Soil Weathering during Reactive Transport: Impacts of Mineral Transformation and Sorbate Aging on Contaminant Speciation and Mobility. United States: N. p., 2006. Web. doi:10.2172/896198.
Steefel, Carl I, Thompson, Aaron, & Chorover, Jon. Coupling Sorption to Soil Weathering during Reactive Transport: Impacts of Mineral Transformation and Sorbate Aging on Contaminant Speciation and Mobility. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/896198
Steefel, Carl I, Thompson, Aaron, and Chorover, Jon. 2006. "Coupling Sorption to Soil Weathering during Reactive Transport: Impacts of Mineral Transformation and Sorbate Aging on Contaminant Speciation and Mobility". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/896198. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/896198.
@article{osti_896198,
title = {Coupling Sorption to Soil Weathering during Reactive Transport: Impacts of Mineral Transformation and Sorbate Aging on Contaminant Speciation and Mobility},
author = {Steefel, Carl I and Thompson, Aaron and Chorover, Jon},
abstractNote = {The Hanford subsurface has become contaminated with highly alkaline, radioactive waste generated as a result of weapons production. The radioactive brine was stored in underground storage tanks, a number of which developed leaks and contaminated the surrounding subsurface. The high pH and ionic strength of these wastes has been predicted to accelerate the degree of soil weathering to produce new mineral phases--cancrinite and sodalite among the most abundant. Previous work has demonstrated that Cs and Sr, which along with I represent the most radioactive components in the waste, are sequestered by these neo-formed solids. The present work is aimed at assessing the stability of these neo-formed solids, with special emphasis on the degree of Cs, Sr and I release under ambient (neutral pH, low ionic strength) conditions expected to return to the Hanford area after the caustic radioactive brine waste is removed.},
doi = {10.2172/896198},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/896198}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006},
month = {Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006}
}