Investigation of siting parameters for near surface disposal of low-level nuclear waste. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6316986

Schell, W R; Sanchez, A L; Thomas, E D

A study was initiated in April 1984 to evaluate actual problems associated with and to recommend improvements for near surface disposal of low-level radioactive wastes in the State of Pennsylvania and the humid Northeast. The results of field measurements showed some vertical transport of /sup 137/Cs and other fallout radionuclides in /sup 210/Pb dated peat cores from the unsaturated zone. Under the natural acid rain conditions (pH 4.0), the most mobile radionuclide, /sup 137/Cs, gave diffusion coefficients of 10/sup -7/ to 10/sup -9/ cm/sup 2//sec in the different organic rich soils. Both the upward and downward migration of radionuclides resulted from the hydrological cycle of evapotranspiration and precipitation which gave diffusive mixing of mobile radionuclides. The distribution coefficient, K/sub d/ values, for several radionuclides in the organic rich soils were found to be equal to or greater than those measured previously for inorganic clay and sediment matrices. To insure that radionuclides do not enter water supplies in the humid Northeast where pH 4.0 rain is encountered, a peat liner should be considered in the multibarrier design of repositories. 32 refs., 16 figs., 8 tabs.

• Research Organization: Pittsburgh Univ., PA (USA). Graduate School of Public Health
• DOE Contract Number: FG07-84ID12509
• OSTI ID: 6316986
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/12509-1; ON: DE86005498
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
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ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM 137
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COBALT 57
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DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIFFUSION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
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ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENERGY SOURCES
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EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
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EXPERIMENTAL DATA
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FEDERAL REGION III
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
FUNCTIONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INFORMATION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LEAD 210
LEAD ISOTOPES
LINERS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC MATTER
PEAT
PENNSYLVANIA
PH VALUE
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
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RUTHENIUM 106
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WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES