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The Importance of Transuranium Solids in Solubility Studies for Nuclear Waste Repositories

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Heino Nitsche
Heino Nitsche*
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, 1 Cyclotron Road, Mail Stop 70A- 1150, Berkeley. California 94720
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Abstract

Solids obtained from laboratory solubility experiments in two different groundwaters from the Yucca Mountain region, Nevada, are described. The solubility study provided limiting solubility concentrations for neptunium(V), plutonium(IV), and americium(III) in groundwaters from Wells J-13 and UE-25p#l. The solubility-controlling solids are compared to relevant radionuclide compounds that are reported in the literature. The preparations and some characteristics of published solids that possibly may form in actinide-groundwater systems are described. The solids formed in the experiments are sodium neptunium(V) carbonates, polymeric Pu(IV) that contained small amounts of carbonate, and hexagonal or orthorhombic americium(III) hydroxycarbonates.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 257: Symposium – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XV , 1991 , 289
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

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