Subsurface monitoring methods for radioactive waste disposal or storage facilities

Conference · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6194811

Prater, L S

Many methods exist for monitoring the subsurface environment near facilities used for disposal or storage of liquid radioactive waste. These methods can be used to monitor a storage facility's integrity or a disposal facility's effectiveness. Advantages of the methods and proper installation and use of the associated equipment are discussed in this paper. Some methods involve installing groundwater monitoring wells. Samples collected from the wells can be analyzed for radionuclides in the waste to determine if the groundwater has been contaminated. These wells can also be used to characterize the groundwater flow system and to monitor changes in it that can affect the transport of contaminants. Finally, they provide access for geophysical logging tools, which can give an indication of properties of the subsurface, including degree of saturation and presence of gamma-emitting contaminants. Other methods involve installing tensiometers and leak-detection devices in the unsaturated zone. These instruments detect or measure moisture in the unsaturated zone and are therefore useful near waste storage sites, where early leak detection is crucial. Another instrument used at storage sites is the suction lysimeter, which is installed in the unsaturated zone to obtain a sample of the soil moisture for analysis. 6 references.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6194811
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-12449; CONF-850106-5; ON: DE85006091
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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