Leaching TC-99 from DWPF glass in simulated geologic repository groundwaters

Technical Report · Tue Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:6820438

Bibler, N E; Jurgensen, A R

The purpose was to determine if DWPF glass in geologic groundwaters would immobilize Tc-99 as well as it does other elements. A previous study (using a borosilicate glass of a very different composition from DWPF glass) indicated that Tc-99 leached rapidly from the glass suggesting that glass may not be a good matrix for immobilizing Tc-99. It was suggested that the Tc-99 had migrated to vesicles in the glass while the glass was still molten. To determine if borosilicate glass was a good immobilizing matrix for Tc-99, this study was performed using DWPF glass. The leaching of Tc-99 was compared to other elements in the glass. It was shown that rapid leaching will not occur with SRP glass. The leach rate for Tc-99 was nearly identical to that for B, a matrix element in the glass. Another objective was to compare the release of Tc-99 under oxidizing and reducing conditions with other elements in the glass. In the tests described here, even though the glass was dissolving more under reducing conditions as a result of abnormally high pH values, less Tc-99 appeared in solution.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 6820438
• Report Number(s): DPST-86-692; ON: DE87005770
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BOROSILICATE GLASS
DISSOLUTION
GLASS
GROUND WATER
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LEACHING
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIMULATION
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES