Biodegradation testing of solidified low-level waste streams

Technical Report · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5847204

Piciulo, P L; Shea, C E; Barletta, R E

The NRC Technical Position on Waste Form (TP) specifies that waste should be resistant to biodegradation. The methods recommended in the TP for testing resistance to fungi, ASTM G21, and for testing resistance to bacteria, ASTM G22, were carried out on several types of solidified simulated wastes, and the effect of microbial activity on the mechanical strength of the materials tested was examined. The tests are believed to be sufficient for distinguishing between materials that are susceptible to biodegradation and those that are not. It is concluded that failure of these tests should not be regarded of itself as an indication that the waste form will biodegrade to an extent that the form does not meet the stability requirements of 10 CFR Part 61. In the case of failure of ASTM G21 or ASTM G22 or both, it is recommended that additional data be supplied by the waste generator to demonstrate the resistance of the waste form to microbial degradation. To produce a data base on the applicability of the biodegradation tests, the following simulated laboratory-scale waste forms were prepared and tested: boric acid and sodium sulfate evaporator bottoms, mixed-bed bead resins and powdered resins each solidified in asphalt, cement, and vinyl ester-styrene. Cement solidified wastes supported neither fungal nor bacterial growth. Of the asphalt solidified wastes, only the forms of boric acid evaporator bottoms did not support fungal growth. Bacteria grew on all of the asphalt solidified wastes. Cleaning the surface of these waste forms did not affect bacterial growth and had a limited effect on the fungal growth. Only vinyl esterstyrene solidified sodium sulfate evaporator bottoms showed viable fungi cultures, but surface cleaning with solvents eliminated fungal growth in subsequent testing. Some forms of all the waste streams solidified in vinyl ester-styrene showed viable bacteria cultures. 13 refs., 12 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5847204
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-4200; BNL-NUREG-51868; ON: TI85012598
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
ASPERGILLUS
ASPHALTS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
BITUMENS
BORIC ACID
BUILDING MATERIALS
CEMENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPRESSION STRENGTH
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FUNGI
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROORGANISMS
MONOMERS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PENICILLIUM
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLANTS
POLYMERS
PSEUDOMONAS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RESINS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SULFATES
SOLID WASTES
STYRENE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TAR
VINYL MONOMERS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE FORMS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES