Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
The leachability of solid nuclear waste forms has been studied by many investigators to evaluate the short-term kinetics of elemental release or to determine the effects of leachant composition or other system parameters. Some general observations from these studies have included: incongruent leaching; formation of reaction layers that contain rare-earth, alkaline-earth, or transition metal elements; and apparent saturation of some elements in solution while others continue to be leached. Before these observations can be used to predict long-term performance of waste glasses under repository conditions, the mechanisms controlling the release of elements from the solid must be understood.
This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC06-76RLO 1830.