Gamma Radiolysis of Aqueous Media and Its Effects on the Leaching Processes of Nuclear Waste Disposal Materials

Barkatt, Aaron; Barkatt, A.; Sousanpour, William

doi:10.13182/nt83-a33076

Cited by 31 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…and 02" [1][2][3][4]. The radiolytic products may influence glass stability by altering the solution pH, Eh, or by complexing with radionuclides and glass components.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Radiation Exposure on Glass Alteration in a Steam Environment

1992

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Several Savannah River Plant (SRL) glass compositions were reacted in steam at temperatures of 150 to 200°C. Half of the tests utilized actinide-doped monoliths and were exposed to an external ionizing gamma source, while the remainder were doped only with U and reacted without gamma exposure. All glass samples readily reacted to form secondary mineral phases within the first week of testing. An in situ layer of smectite initially developed on nonirradiated SRL 202 glass test samples. After 21 days, a thin layer of illite was precipitated from solution onto the smectite layer. A number of alteration products including zeolite, Casilicate, and alkali or alkaline earth uranyl silicate phases were also distributed over most sample surfaces. In the irradiated SRL 202 glass tests, up to three layers enveloped rounded, and sometimes fractured, glass cores. After 35 to 56 days these remnant cores were replaced by a mottled or banded Fe- and Si-rich material. The formation of some secondary mineral phases also has been accelerated in the irradiated tests, and in some instances, the irradiated environment may have led to the precipitation of a different suite of minerals. The alteration layer(s) developed at rates of 2.3 and 32 μm/day for the nonirradiated and irradiated SRL 202 glasses, respectively, indicating that layer development is accelerated by a factor of ∼10 to 15X due to radiation exposure under the test conditions.

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“…and 02" [1][2][3][4]. The radiolytic products may influence glass stability by altering the solution pH, Eh, or by complexing with radionuclides and glass components.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Radiation Exposure on Glass Alteration in a Steam Environment

1992

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“…These results suggest that some of the carbon in the tests with a lucite rod is being derived from the lucite rods themselves. The increase in organic carbon in the stainless steel rod supported tests, however, indicates that some organic carbon is being produced in these experiments from CO2 [5]. …”

Section: Alpha Blank Testsmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…(3) Gamma irradiation of water vapor and air forms nitrogenous species which dissolve in water to form nitrogen acids. Tests conducted with deionized water and large dose rates (~1 x 10 6 rad/h) show a pH drop and increase in glass reactivity [5][6]. In leach tests with tuff groundwater, the leachate pH is buffered by bicarbonate and the glass reaction rate is not affected [7][8][9][10][11].…”

Section: ) Radiation Damage Of the Glass Is Not Manifested In Major mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(4) Gamma irradiation of a CO2-H2O system can result in the formation of organic acids (oxalate and formate). Such acids are of concern because of their ability to complex radionuclides and increase actinide solubility [5,12,13]. The general conclusion from these studies is that under conditions of complete immersion of glass in water, i.e., small surface area of glass/volume of liquid (SA/V) ratios and gas/liquid volume (G/L) ratios, radiation has minimal effect on glass performance.…”

Section: ) Radiation Damage Of the Glass Is Not Manifested In Major mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Alpha and Gamma Radiation on Glass Reaction in an Unsaturated Environment

1990

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Radiation may effect the long-term performance of glass in an unsaturated repository site by interacting with air, water vapor, or liquid water. The present study examines (1) the effects of alpha or gamma irradiation in a water vapor environment, and (2) the influence of radiolytic products on glass reaction. Results indicate that nitric and organic acids form in an irradiated water vapor environment and are dissolved in thin films of condensed water. Glass samples exposed to these conditions react faster and have a different assemblage of secondary phases than glasses exposed to nonirradiated water vapor environments.

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“…The nitrogen present in groundwater can be involved in the production of nitric acid due to the effect of groundwater radiolysis in the sur roundings of uranium deposits (Vovk, 1979b;Barkatt et al, 1983). If apatite, monazite and py rite are present in the wall-rocks of uranium de posit, they may be radiolytically decomposed and performed at the Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%