Laboratory and field studies related to the hydrology/radionuclide migration project: Progress report, October 1, 1987--September 30, 1988

Technical Report · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5965077

Thompson, J L ^[1]

---

1. comp. and ed.

Our field research is carried out at three different areas of the Nevada Test Site. We continue to monitor the elution of tritium, /sup 85/Kr, and fission products from the cavity region at the Cambric site. About 85% of the tritium has been eluted from the RNM-2S well, but no radioactive cations are present in the eluate. The concentrations of tritium, /sup 85/Kr, and /sup 125/Sb in water samples from the UE20n/number sign/1 hole at the Cheshire site are approximately the same as in the U20n hole, but the concentration of /sup 137/Cs is appreciably lower. The presence of hydrous ferric oxides in the UE20n/number sign/1 water makes sample analyses difficult to interpret. We found the detergent used in drilling UE20n/number sign/1 was useful over a wider range of dilutions than the bromide ion commonly used to trace the drilling fluids. At the study site near U3kz on Yucca Flat, the collapse of drill hole UE3e/number sign/3 frustrated our hopes of obtaining a core bearing radioactive material from an adjacent site. We have initiated some studies of activity distribution in a core from a different location, UE4g/number sign/2. Laboratory studies of the size/density properties of plutonium(IV) colloids are continuing; our efforts in colloid research will be considerably enhanced by the recent completion of a clean room facility. We are prepared to conduct packer tests at UE4t to measure the hydraulic properties of the pressurized aquifer underlying this part of Yucca Flat. Radioactivity detected during the drilling of the off-site hole PM-3 proved to be from natural sources. A proposed plan for future work at Yucca Flat is included in this report. In the Appendix we list other project activities to which we contributed during the past year. 18 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5965077
• Report Number(s): LA-11595-PR; ON: DE89014390
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ANTIMONY 125
ANTIMONY ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
HYDROLOGY
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IRON COMPOUNDS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON 85
KRYPTON ISOTOPES
LANL
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRITIUM
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES