Organic geochemistry: Effects of organic components of shales on adsorption: Progress report

Technical Report · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6683415· OSTI ID:6683415

Ho, P. C.

The Sedimentary Rock Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating shale to determine its potential suitability as a host rock for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW). The selected shales are Upper Dowelltown, Pierre, Green River Formation, and two Conasauga (Nolichucky and Pumpkin Valley) Shales, which represent mineralogical and compositional extremes of shales in the United States. According to mineralogical studies, the first three shales contain 5 to 13 wt % of organic matter, and the two Conasauga Shales only contain trace amounts (2 wt %) of organic matter. Soxhlet extraction with chloroform and a mixture of chloroform and methanol can remove 0.07 to 5.9 wt % of the total organic matter from these shales. Preliminary analysis if these organic extracts reveals the existence of organic carboxylic acids and hydrocarbons in these samples. Adsorption of elements such as Cs(I), Sr(II) and Tc(VII) on the organic-extracted Upper Dowelltown, Pierre, green River Formation and Pumpkin Valley Shales in synthetic groundwaters (simulating groundwaters in the Conasauga Shales) and in 0.03-M NaHCO/sub 3/ solution indicates interaction between each of the three elements and the organic-extractable bitumen. 28 refs., 8 figs., 10 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6683415
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-10932; ON: DE89004257
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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