Research and development related to the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations: Progress report, October 1--December 31, 1984

Unsaturated Zone and Saturated Zone Transport Properties (U0100)

“…Thorium sorption experiments on Yucca Mountain rock samples in J-13 groundwater were reported by Rundberg et al (1985) and Thomas (1988). The sorption coefficients obtained in these experiments ranged from 140 to 23,800 mL g-'.…”

Laboratory and field studies related to the Radionuclide Migration project. Progress report, October 1, 1984-September 30, 1985. [Applicable to NNWSI project]

“…The effect of groundwater composition on radionuclide sorption has been a subject of study at Los Alamos for some time. 10 We recently reported 11 that elements such as barium, cesium, and strontium, which sorb by an ion exchange mechanism, have appreciably lower sorption coefficients in a "high-salt" water such as that from Hole UE25p#l than in a low-salt water such as that from Well J-13. Other elements, such as uranium and selenium, showed little variation in sorption coefficient between these two waters, presumably because they do not sorb by ion exchange.…”

“…Also, we see evidence that plutonium polymer and americium colloidal particulates pass through these columns. 11 The possibility of radionuclide transport in the form of colloids is receiving attention through a number of studies at the Laboratory. The concentration level of natural colloids present in water pumped from Well J-13 has recently been measured.…”

“…C-ur autocorrelation photon spectroscopy system has been used to measure the size distribution of reference polystyrene beads in the range of 5 11111 to 1 //in and to measure the size distribution of plutonium polymers. 11 We have added population balance equations to the code TRACR3D so that we can simulate migration of colloids through geologic media. 10 These studies of colloid transport will be of great value to the RNM program if we undertake a field study of colloid migration at the R.NM-1 site.…”