Fate and Transport of Radionuclides Beneath the Hanford Tank Farms: Unraveling Coupled Geochemical and Hydrological Processes in the Vadose Zone
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Geological and Environmental Sciences
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
The overall goal of this research is to provide an improved understanding and predictive capability of coupled hydrological and geochemical mechanisms that are responsible for the accelerated migration of radionuclides in the vadose zone beneath the Hanford Tank Farms. The study is motivated by the technological and scientific needs associated with the long-term management of the enormous in-ground inventories of multiple contaminants at the Hanford site. Our objectives are to (1) provide an improved understanding of how lithological discontinuities within the sediments influence the propensity for preferential flow and matrix diffusion at different water contents, (2) quantify the significance of downward vertical advection, lateral spreading, and physical nonequilibrium processes on radionuclide transport under variable hydrologic conditions, and (3) quantify the rates and mechanisms of 137Cs, 235/238U, and 99Tc interaction with the solid phase under various hydrodynamic conditions and to determine how physical heterogeneities (i.e. stratification, pore regime connectivity) influence the retardation and degree of geochemical nonequilibrium during contaminant transport.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-99ER62889
- OSTI ID:
- 833671
- Report Number(s):
- EMSP-70219-2001; R&D Project: EMSP 70219; TRN: US1700187
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Fate and Transport of Radionuclides Beneath the Hanford Tank Farms: Unraveling Coupled Geochemical and Hydrological Processes in the Vadose Zone
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
HANFORD RESERVATION
CESIUM 137
TECHNETIUM 99
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
URANIUM 238
URANIUM 235
FORECASTING
GEOCHEMISTRY
TANKS
STORAGE FACILITIES
ADVECTION
WATER
DIFFUSION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SEDIMENTS
HYDROLOGY
STRATIFICATION
UNDERGROUND