Geochemical studies of sorption and transport of radionuclides in rock media

Technical Report · Fri Mar 21 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5362492

Coles, D G; Weed, H C; Tewhey, J D

Four studies, which supported the goals of the WISAP Program at Battelle PNL, were undertaken by the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory during FY 1979. These were: (1) Batch K/sub d/ experiments, (2) Dynamic sorption experiments on rock cores, (3) Feasibility study for an in situ tracer test at the Climax Stock, NTS, and (4) Geochemical equilibrium code development. Only the equilibrium code development was not funded by the WISAP during FY 1979. The emphasis for the batch K/sub d/ studies was on various (15) sandstones in brine using /sup 75/Se, /sup 85/Sr, /sup 125/Sb, /sup 137/Cs, /sup 141/Ce, and /sup 237/Pu tracers. These sandstone samples were well-characterized for their physical and mineralogical nature. Complex K/sub d/ behavior was observed for the radionuclides studied but /sup 85/Sr showed K/sub d/ values near zero for all samples. Both /sup 141/Ce and /sup 239/Pu K/sub d/ values ranged from 20 to upper limits of greater than or equal to 17,000. Dynamic sorption studies were done on NTS tuff and St. Peter sandstone core using /sup 3/H, /sup 85/Sr, and /sup 95m/Tc. These radionuclides were injected as a short pulse into the rock-equilibrated water that was flowing through the core. Tracer-free water was then continually flowed through the core until elution curves for the mobile radionuclides were established. Tritium and /sup 95m/Tc both traveled through the cores at the same rate, indicating no sorption for the mobile fraction of /sup 95m/Tc (/sup 95/TcO/sub 4//sup -/). Strontium-85 did not exit the tuff cores but did exit the sandstone core although the elution curves showed definite retardation relative to the movement of /sup 3/H and /sup 95m/Tc. Post-elution sectioning of the cores indicated that a fraction of the /sup 95m/Tc remained in the cores and was evenly distributed through the tuff cores. Strontium-85 showed a generally decreasing distribution from the inlet side to the outlet side of the tuff cores.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5362492
• Report Number(s): UCRL-52929; ON: DE82018325
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ANTIMONY 125
SORPTION
CERIUM 141
CESIUM 137
PLUTONIUM 237
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
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SELENIUM 75
STRONTIUM 85
TECHNETIUM 95
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GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
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ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ANTIMONY ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
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INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
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LIGHT NUCLEI
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
ROCKS
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SELENIUM ISOTOPES
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