Open AccessStrontium-90 adsorption-desorption properties and sediment characterization at the 100 N-Area
Author(s) -
R.J. Serne,
V.L. LeGore
Publication year - 1996
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/186728
Subject(s) - environmental remediation , environmental science , strontium , radioactive waste , savannah river site , desorption , waste management , characterization (materials science) , sediment , borehole , adsorption , contamination , environmental engineering , geology , chemistry , engineering , materials science , geotechnical engineering , nanotechnology , ecology , paleontology , biology , organic chemistry
Strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) has been seeping into the Columbia River since the early 1980s. The likely source is subsurface migration of {sup 90}Sr from once-through cooling water from the Hanford N Reactor disposed into the two disposal crib/trench facilities. Background information has been provided on the operational history of the two liquid waste disposal facilities and some of the regulatory drivers that have lead to the various characterization activities and remediation demonstrations being performed to help choose future full-scale remediation alternatives. The work presented in this topical report had two main objectives. First, we obtained numerous borehole samples from newly installed wells/borings and performed physical and chemical characterization that,included particle size analysis, moisture content, and Strontium-90, Tritium and gamma activity analyses to help improve the conceptual model of where the contaminants currently reside in the sediments. The second objective was to perform laboratory adsorption-desorption tests using both batch and flow- through column techniques to gather data for use in contaminant transport conceptual models and to aid in specific pump-and-treat calculations needed to interpret a field demonstration