Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T18:00:39.916Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Leaching of Chlorine, Cesium, Strontium and Technetium from Cement-Fixed Intermediate Level Liquid Waste

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Bert-G. Brodda
Affiliation:
Kernforschungsanlage Julien GmbH, Institut für Chemische Technologie der Nuklearen Entsorgung, D-5170 Jülich, Federal Republic of Germany
Xu Mingxia
Affiliation:
Institute of Atomic Energy, POB 275, Beijing, People's Republic of China
Get access

Abstract

The leaching behaviour of Cl-36, Cs-137, Sr-90 and Tc-99 from cement-fixed intermediate level liquid waste was investigated. Bentonite, MicroSili-ca®, acrylic resin and sodium sulfide were used as additives to a blast furnace cement matrix. In some cases portland cement was used. The liquid (water or waste solution) to cement ratio applied was mostly 0.47. Samples were leached with water or quinary brine (Q-brine).

After 250 days the sequence of leachability from additive-free specimen in Q-brine was Cl>Cs>Sr>Tc with little modification in water: Cs>Cl>Sr>Tc. Cl and Cs leaching are diffusion-controlled, Sr and Tc are chemically fixed.

Bentonite improves the retardation of Cs significantly, but has no significant effect on Cl, Sr and Tc. MicroSilica® deteriorates the retardation of Cs, but has no effect on Cl, Sr and Tc release.

Sulfide was expected to reduce the leachability of Tc by forming insoluble TC2S7. No significant effect was observed, however, because either TC2S7 does not form at the pH value of the cement slurry or, due to a solubility competition, insoluble Tc species also form in the absence of sulfide ions.

Acrylic resin does not reduce the leachability of Cs significantly. Irradiation with doses up to 4.4–105 Gy slightly deteriorates Cs retardation.

Applying a liquid to cement ratio of 0.35 instead of 0.47 improves the retardation of Cs by a factor of 1.5–4, which may be due to a reduction of porosity in the specimen.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Rudolph, G. and Köster, R., in Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management. Vol. 1. edited by McCarthy, G.J. (Plenum Press, New York, 1979) pp. 467470.Google Scholar
2. Brodda, B.-G., in The Science of the Total Environment 69, (Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, 1988) pp. 319345.Google Scholar
3. Rudolph, G., Vejmelka, P. and Köster, R., in Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management. Vol. 3. edited by Moore, J.G. (Plenum Press, New York, 1981) pp. 339346.Google Scholar
4. Zamorani, E., Lanza, F., Serrini, G. and Blanchard, H., Nuclear and Chemical Waste Management 6, 197202 (1986).Google Scholar
5. Merz, E.R., Dyckerhoff, D. and Odoj, R., in Conference Proceedings. 2nd International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management 1986. pp. 396401.Google Scholar
6. Adam Habayeb, M., Nuclear and Chemical Waste Management 5, 305314 (1985).Google Scholar
7. Atkinson, A., Nickerson, A.K. and Valentine, T.M., Radioactive Waste Management and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle 4141, 357378 (1984).Google Scholar
8. D'Ans, Die Losungsgleichgewichte der Systeme ozeanischer Salzablagerungen. (Verlagsanstalt für Ackerbau, Berlin, 1933).Google Scholar