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Identification of contaminants of concern for the postclosure assessment of the concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste

Abstract

The concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste involves the isolation of irradiated fuel in corrosion-resistant containers emplaced din din a vault located deep in crystalline rock of the Canadian Shield. To estimate potential impacts on members of a critical group far into the future, a postclosure assessment evaluates the long-term safety of the concept. Although the nuclear fuel waste from CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) power generating stations contains several hundreds of potentially toxic radionuclides and chemical elements (referred to as contaminants), many of these would not lead to significant impacts. This report provides an upper bound on estimated radiation dose and chemical toxicity effects on humans from all potentially toxic contaminants, and it identifies those that require detailed consideration in the postclosure assessment. This report also examines the origins and properties of the contaminants. Properties of interest include radioactive half-life, inventory, mobility in groundwaters and sorption on rock, degree of toxicity, and precursors and progeny (or parents and daughters) for members of a decay chain. The report considers how these properties affect the behaviour of different contaminants in different parts of the disposal system. The discussion leads to suggested methods of treatment of different contaminants when simulating  More>>
Publication Date:
Mar 01, 1994
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
AECL-10901; COG-93-265.
Reference Number:
SCA: 540230; 540220; 052002; PA: AIX-27:013702; EDB-96:040083; NTS-96:014524; SN: 96001545330
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Mar 1994
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 05 NUCLEAR FUELS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; CHEMICAL WASTES; RADIOISOTOPES; ACTINIDES; CANDU TYPE REACTORS; CONTAINERS; GROUND WATER; HALF-LIFE; HYDROLOGY; RADIATION DOSES; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; SAFETY STANDARDS; TOXICITY; WASTE MANAGEMENT
OSTI ID:
185843
Research Organizations:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, MB (Canada). Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment; Ontario Hydro, Toronto, ON (Canada)
Country of Origin:
Canada
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE96613855; TRN: CA9500400013702
Availability:
INIS; OSTI as DE96613855
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
137 p.
Announcement Date:
Feb 28, 1996

Citation Formats

Goodwin, B W, and Mehta, K K. Identification of contaminants of concern for the postclosure assessment of the concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste. Canada: N. p., 1994. Web.
Goodwin, B W, & Mehta, K K. Identification of contaminants of concern for the postclosure assessment of the concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste. Canada.
Goodwin, B W, and Mehta, K K. 1994. "Identification of contaminants of concern for the postclosure assessment of the concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste." Canada.
@misc{etde_185843,
title = {Identification of contaminants of concern for the postclosure assessment of the concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste}
author = {Goodwin, B W, and Mehta, K K}
abstractNote = {The concept for the disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste involves the isolation of irradiated fuel in corrosion-resistant containers emplaced din din a vault located deep in crystalline rock of the Canadian Shield. To estimate potential impacts on members of a critical group far into the future, a postclosure assessment evaluates the long-term safety of the concept. Although the nuclear fuel waste from CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) power generating stations contains several hundreds of potentially toxic radionuclides and chemical elements (referred to as contaminants), many of these would not lead to significant impacts. This report provides an upper bound on estimated radiation dose and chemical toxicity effects on humans from all potentially toxic contaminants, and it identifies those that require detailed consideration in the postclosure assessment. This report also examines the origins and properties of the contaminants. Properties of interest include radioactive half-life, inventory, mobility in groundwaters and sorption on rock, degree of toxicity, and precursors and progeny (or parents and daughters) for members of a decay chain. The report considers how these properties affect the behaviour of different contaminants in different parts of the disposal system. The discussion leads to suggested methods of treatment of different contaminants when simulating their fate within the disposal system. In particular, recommendations are made on how the actinide decay chains can be simplified for study in the postclosure assessment. (author). 56 refs., 22 tabs., 12 figs.}
place = {Canada}
year = {1994}
month = {Mar}
}