Open AccessNNWSI [Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigation] waste form testing at Argonne National Laboratory; Semiannual report, July--December 1987
Author(s) -
J K Bates,
T J Gerding,
W L Ebert,
J J Mazer,
B M Biwer
Publication year - 1988
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/137468
Subject(s) - borosilicate glass , frit , leaching (pedology) , groundwater , national laboratory , actinide , radioactive waste , vitrification , environmental science , test site , radiochemistry , nuclear chemistry , mineralogy , materials science , chemistry , geology , soil water , nuclear physics , metallurgy , geotechnical engineering , soil science , mining engineering , physics , engineering physics
Tests are ongoing at Argonne National Laboratory to examine the reaction of glass with water under conditions that may exist in the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Examination of glass reaction using the Unsaturated Test method as applied to simulated defense glass (SRL 165 black frit based) and simulated West Valley glass (ATM-10) is ongoing. The tests on SRL 165 glass have been ongoing for 104 weeks with nonstoichiometric release of Li, Na, B, and actinide elements being observed throughout the test period. The tests on ATM-10 glass have been in progress for 26 weeks and it is too early in the test cycle to assess the glass reaction. The influence of penetrating gamma radiation on the reaction of synthetic nuclear waste glasses in tuff groundwater was also investigated. Modified MCC-1 static leaching experiments were performed under radiation exposures of 1 {times} 10{sup 3} R/h and O R/h at 90{degree}C. The groundwater was acidified by nitrous and nitric acids radiolytically produced in the air. The high bicarbonate ion concentration of the groundwater prevented the pH from dropping below 6.4, however. The glass reaction, as measured by the release of glass species and the thickness of an alteration layer formed on the glass surface, was not measurably affected by radiation. 24 refs., 34 figs., 20 tabs