Gas generation from radiolytic attack of TRU-contaminated hydrogenous waste

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6206446· OSTI ID:6206446

Zerwekh, A

In 1970, the Waste Management and Transportation Division of the Atomic Energy Commission ordered a segregation of transuranic (TRU)-contaminated solid wastes. Those below a contamination level of 10 nCi/g could still be buried; those above had to be stored retrievably for 20 y. The possibility that alpha-radiolysis of hydrogenous materials might produce toxic, corrosive, and flammable gases in retrievably stored waste prompted an investigation of gas identities and generation rates in the laboratory and field. Typical waste mixtures were synthesized and contaminated for laboratory experiments, and drums of actual TRU-contaminated waste were instrumented for field testing. Several levels of contamination were studied, as well as pressure, temperature, and moisture effects. G (gas) values were determined for various waste matrices, and degradation products were examined.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6206446
• Report Number(s): LA-7674-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DATA FORMS
DECOMPOSITION
DEGASSING
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GASES
GRAPHS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLYSIS
SIMULATION
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES