Effect of Reducing Groundwater on the Retardation of Redox-Sensitive Radionuclides [electronic resource].
- Published:
- Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 2008.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy. - Physical Description:
- PDF-file: 50 pages; size: 0.7 Mbytes
- Additional Creators:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
United States. Department of Energy
United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information - Access Online:
- www.osti.gov
- Summary:
- Laboratory batch sorption experiments were used to investigate variations in the retardation behavior of redox-sensitive radionuclides. Water-rock compositions used during these experiments were designed to simulate subsurface conditions at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), where a suite of radionuclides were deposited as a result of underground nuclear testing. Experimental redox conditions were controlled by varying the oxygen content inside an enclosed glove box and by adding reductants into the testing solutions. Under atmospheric (oxidizing) conditions, the radionuclide distribution coefficients varied with the mineralogical composition of the sorbent and the water chemistry. Under reducing conditions, distribution coefficients showed marked increases for ⁹⁹Tc and ²³⁷Np in devitrified tuff, but much smaller variations in alluvium, carbonate rock, and zeolitic tuff. This effect was particularly important for ⁹⁹Tc, which tends to be mobile under oxidizing conditions. Unlike other redox-sensitive radionuclides, iodine sorption may decrease under reducing conditions when I⁻ is the predominant species. Overall, sorption of U to alluvium, devitrified tuff, and zeolitic tuff under atmospheric conditions was less than in the glove-box tests. However, the mildly reducing conditions achieved here were not likely to result in substantial U(VI) reduction to U(IV). Sorption of Pu was not affected by the decreasing redox conditions achieved in this study, as the predominant sorbed Pu species in all conditions was expected to be the low-solubility and strongly sorbing Pu(OH)₄. Depending on the aquifer lithology, the occurrence of reducing conditions along a groundwater flowpath could potentially contribute to the retardation of redox-sensitive radionuclides ⁹⁹Tc and ²³⁷Np, which are commonly identified as long-term dose contributors in the risk assessment in various nuclear facilities.
- Subject(s):
- Note:
- Published through SciTech Connect.
04/21/2008.
"llnl-jrnl-409009"
geochemical transactions, vol. 9, n/a, December 12, 2008, pp. 12 9 ISSN 1467-4866 FT
Hu, Q; Zavarin, M; Rose, T P. - Funding Information:
- W-7405-ENG-48
View MARC record | catkey: 14131905