Effects of natural zeolites on field-scale geologic noble gas transport

Feldman, Joshua; Paul, Matthew; Xu, Guangping; Rademacher, David X.; Wilson, Jennifer; Nenoff, Tina M.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106279

Effects of natural zeolites on field-scale geologic noble gas transport

Journal Article · Fri May 22 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106279· OSTI ID:1630480

Feldman, Joshua; Paul, Matthew; Xu, Guangping; Rademacher, David X.; Wilson, Jennifer; Nenoff, Tina M.

Improving predictive models for noble gas transport through natural materials at the field-scale is an essential component of improving US nuclear monitoring capabilities. Several field-scale experiments with a gas transport component have been conducted at the Nevada National Security Site (Non-Proliferation Experiment, Underground Nuclear Explosion Signatures Experiment). However, the models associated with these experiments have not treated zeolite minerals as gas adsorbing phases. This is significant as zeolites are a common alteration mineral with a high abundance at these field sites and are shown here to significantly fractionate noble gases during field-scale transport. This fractionation and associated retardation can complicate gas transport predictions by reducing the signal-to-noise ratio to the detector (e.g. mass spectrometers or radiation detectors) enough to mask the signal or make the data difficult to interpret. Omitting adsorption-related retardation data of noble gases in predictive gas transport models therefore results in systematic errors in model predictions where zeolites are present.Herein is presented noble gas adsorption data collected on zeolitized and non-zeolitized tuff. Experimental results were obtained using a unique piezometric adsorption system designed and built for this study. Data collected were then related to pure-phase mineral analyses conducted on clinoptilolite, mordenite, and quartz. These results quantify the adsorption capacity of materials present in field-scale systems, enabling the modeling of low-permeability rocks as significant sorption reservoirs vital to bulk transport predictions.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525

OSTI ID:: 1630480

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1639051

Journal Information:: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity Journal Issue: C Vol. 220-221; ISSN 0265-931X

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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