Geochemistry of trench leachates at low-level radioactive waste burial sites

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6928842

Dayal, R; Pietrzak, R F; Clinton, J

Trench leachates from the low-level radioactive waste burial sites at Maxey Flats, Kentucky and Barnwell, South Carolina were sampled and analyzed for dissolved inorganic, organic, and radionuclide constituents. Relative to local groundwaters, the trench leachates exhibit significant modifications in major ion and radionuclide compositions. The formation and composition of the leachates can be attributed to site-specific hydrological and geochemical factors. Leaching and microbial degradation of waste materials are considered to be the important geochemical processes controlling the leachate compositions. Elevated concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, and various anthropogenic radionuclides reflect leaching of waste materials. Anoxic conditions as characterized by depletion of dissolved oxygen and sulphate, and high contents of alkalinity and ammonia reflect microbial decomposition of organic waste materials. Because of relatively stagnant water accumulations, the extent of modification is much greater in the Maxey Flats leachates as compared with those from Barnwell. 8 references, 2 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6928842
• Report Number(s): BNL-NUREG-34596; CONF-8405144-1; ON: DE84010800
• Resource Relation: Conference: International groundwater symposium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 21 May 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
GROUND WATER
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
LEACHATES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LEACHING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
GEOCHEMISTRY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
KENTUCKY
SOUTH CAROLINA
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION IV
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
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053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
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