Revised Guidelines for using Cellulose Degradation Product-Impacted Kd Values for Performance Assessments and Composite Analyses
- Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC (United States)
Cellulosic materials include wood, paper, rags, and cardboard products. These materials are co-disposed with radiological waste at the Savannah River Site's (SRS) E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility (ELLWF). Cellulosic materials readily degrade in the environment to form cellulose degradation products (CDP) that will partition to the sediment or remain mobile in the groundwater. Savannah River National Lab (SRNL) has conducted studies to estimate the impact of CDP on radionuclide sorption to SRS sediments (Kd values). It was found that CDP impact on radionuclide sorption varies with radionuclide and CDP concentration. Furthermore, it was found that the amount of carbon (C) in the system could increase or decrease Kd values with respect to the base case of when no CDP was added. Throughout the expected pH range of the ELLWF, a low concentration of CDP in the system would increase Kd values (because C would sorb to the sediment and provide more exchange sites for radionuclides to sorb), whereas greater concentrations of CDP (≥20 mg/L C) would decrease Kd values (because C would remain in solution and complex the radionuclide and not permit the radionuclide to sorb to the sediment). A review of >230 dissolved organic carbon (DOC) groundwater concentrations in the Old Radioactive Waste Burial Ground (ORWBG) at the SRS indicated that the average DOC concentration, a gross measure of CDP, was 5 mg/L C. At approximately this DOC concentration, the laboratory studies demonstrated that no anions (Tc, I, or Se) or cations (Ni, Sr, Ce, Eu, Zr, or Th) have decreased sorption in the presence of carbon (an analogue for CDP).
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-08SR22470
- OSTI ID:
- 1039993
- Report Number(s):
- SRNL--STI-2012-00138
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ANIONS
CARBON
CATIONS
CDP
CELLULOSE
IODINE
Kd
PERFORMANCE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RECOMMENDATIONS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SEDIMENTS
SORPTION
TECHNETIUM
WASTES
WOOD
cellulose degradation
dissolved organic carbon
iodine
performance assessment
technetium