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Title: Dependence of radionuclide sorption on sample grinding, surface area, and water composition

Conference ·
OSTI ID:138786

In its 1987 technical position paper, ``Determination of Radionuclide Sorption for High-Level Nuclear Waste Repositories``, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) review panel delineated several studies needed to show that experimental sorption coefficients could accurately model radionuclide sorption behavior along release pathways. In particular, they focused on the potential problems involved with the use of crushed rock samples, stating ``If crushed solids are used, it is essential to show that laboratory experiments involving sorption on crushed solids are relevant to the repository site. The surfaces of crushed material may be significantly different from the surfaces of intact material, both porous and fractured. Grinding may expose the surfaces of solid phases different from those which groundwater would contact in a repository and/or may change the reactivity of the same mineral surfaces with dissolved radionuclides. The surface of crushed minerals can be enriched in certain elements by factors of two and three relative to the bulk composition. The experiments reported here were performed in direct response to the NRC technical position paper.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
138786
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-93-270; CONF-930408-18; ON: DE93007371
Resource Relation:
Conference: 10. international high-level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 25-29 Apr 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English