Coupling Sorption to Soil Weathering during Reactive Transport: Impacts of Mineral Transformation and Sorbate Aging on Contaminant Speciation and Mobility

Steefel, Carl I. ; Thompson, Aaron ; Chorover, Jon

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

关键词: Aging;    54 Environmental Sciences;    Radioactive Wastes;    Underground Storage;    Soils;   

DOI  :  10.2172/896198
RP-ID  :  ERSD-1027673-2006
RP-ID  :  None
RP-ID  :  896198

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The Hanford subsurface has become contaminated with highly alkaline, radioactive waste generated as a result of weapons production. The radioactive brine was stored in underground storage tanks, a number of which developed leaks and contaminated the surrounding subsurface. The high pH and ionic strength of these wastes has been predicted to accelerate the degree of soil weathering to produce new mineral phases--cancrinite and sodalite among the most abundant. Previous work has demonstrated that Cs and Sr, which along with I represent the most radioactive components in the waste, are sequestered by these neo-formed solids. The present work is aimed at assessing the stability of these neo-formed solids, with special emphasis on the degree of Cs, Sr and I release under ambient (neutral pH, low ionic strength) conditions expected to return to the Hanford area after the caustic radioactive brine waste is removed.