Chemical, geological, and hydrological factors governing radionuclide migration from a formerly used seepage trench: a field study. Environmental Sciences Division publication No. 2202
A total of 3.2 x 10/sup 7/ L of intermediate-level liquid wastes (ILW) generated from routine Oak Ridge National Laboratory operations, were disposed in Trench 7 between 1962 and 1966. The disposed ILW contained about 10/sup 7/ GBq of fission nuclides (primarily /sup 137/Cs and /sup 90/Sr), activation products (primarily /sup 60/Co), actinides (primarily /sup 232/Th and /sup 238/U decay series nuclides), and transuranics (primarily /sup 241/Pu-/sup 241/Am). Gamma-log profiles of the wells near ILW Trench 7 indicate that the waste liquids seeped along discrete layers parallel to bedding and along the strikes of faults and folds. Although most of the radioactivity has been retained by sorption reactions with the trench fill, soils, and weathered bedrock, groundwater characteristics in the vicinity of ILW Trench 7 are still greatly influenced by the constituents of the waste liquids disposed two decades ago. Radionuclide concentrations in the groundwaters near the north end of ILW Trench 7 undergo seasonal variations, with the lowest activities occurring in fall and winter and the highest activities occurring in the spring and after prolonged rainstorm events. The rise in radioactivity in these wells correlates with a rise in the groundwater level and a concurrent increase in groundwater pH. Although ILW Trench 7 has worked effectively to retain most of the disposed radioactivity, two suspected transport pathways from the trench to a nearby seep area have been identified and both appear to be associated with fault zones. Only the pathway near the north end of the trench appears to be leaching alkalinity and thus affecting the retention capacity for /sup 90/Sr. A groundwater interceptor at the north end of ILW Trench 7 is one possible remedial action to help maintain a dry alkaline environment and ensure the integrity of the trench for nuclide retention.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5633238
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-8839; ON: DE84001688
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Source term characterization for the Maxey Flats low-level radioactive waste disposal site
Trench water-soil chemistry and interactions at the Maxey Flats Site-II
Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
AMERICIUM 241
CESIUM 137
COBALT 60
FIELD TESTS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HYDROLOGY
PLANTS
PLUTONIUM 241
SOILS
STRONTIUM 90
TECHNETIUM 99
URANIUM ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMISTRY
COBALT ISOTOPES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
TESTING
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
520301 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)