Low-level radioactive waste from nuclear power generating stations: Characterization, classification and assessment of activated metals and waste streams
Since the enactment of 10 CFR Part 61, additional difficult-to-measure long-lived radionuclides, not specified in Tables 1 2 of Part 61, have been identified (e.g., [sup 108m]Ag, [sup 93]Mo, [sup 36]Cl, [sup 10]Be, [sup 113m]Cd, [sup 121m]Sn, [sup 126]Sn, [sup 93m]Nb) that may be of concern in certain types of waste. These nuclides are primarily associated with activated metal and perhaps other nuclear power low-level waste (LLW) being sent to disposal facilities. The concentration of a radionuclide in waste materials is normally determined by direct measurement or by indirect calculational methods, such as using a scaling factor to relate inferred concentration of a difficult-to-measure radionuclide to another that is easily measured. The total disposal site inventory of certain difficult-to-measure radionuclides (e.g., [sup 14]C, [sup 129]I, and [sup 99]Tc) often control the total quantities of radioactive waste permitted in LLW burial facilities. Overly conservative scaling factors based on lower limits of detection (LLD), often used in the nuclear power industry to estimate these controlling nuclides, could lead to premature closure of a disposal facility. Samples of LLW (Class B and C activated metals [AM] and other waste streams) are being collected from operating nuclear power stations and analyzed for radionuclides covered in 10 CFR Part 61 and the additional difficult-to-measure radionuclides. This analysis will enhance the NRC's understanding of the distribution and projected quantities of radionuclides within AM and LLW streams from commercial nuclear power stations. This research will also provide radiological characterization of AM specimens for others to use in leach-rate and lysimeter experiments to determine nuclide releases and subsequent movement in natural soil environments.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USNRC; Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6556298
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-21394; CONF-930205-38; ON: DE93009339
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management '93, Tucson, AZ (United States), 28 Feb - 4 Mar 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
BERYLLIUM 10
CADMIUM 113
CHLORINE 36
LEACHING
METALS
MOLYBDENUM 93
NIOBIUM 93
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SILVER 108
TIN 121
TIN 126
WASTE FORMS
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BERYLLIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CADMIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHLORINE ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MOLYBDENUM ISOTOPES
NIOBIUM ISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POWER PLANTS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILVER ISOT
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TIN ISOTOPES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOI
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage