Geochemistry Associated with Long Term Disposal of Radioactive Waste
Nuclear waste is accumulating throughout the world at an astonishing rate because there are few socially acceptable ways to dispose of it and there are technical and cost issues related to the long-term (thousands of years) safe disposal of the waste in the subsurface environment.
Cementitious waste forms are effective for many contaminants and radionuclides, but not all.
Our group focuses on the chemistry associated with the disposal of radionuclides and other contaminants in an effort to: 1) identify ideal grout formulations, and 2) to quantify the long-term leaching rates from grout as it undergoes mineralogical transformations over geological timeframes. In this example, four formulations of simulated cementitious waste forms containing radionuclides were left in a field for 11 years while monitoring the extent of radionuclide leaching.
Understanding how contaminants move through the subsurface environment is necessary for prediction contaminant release from waste forms over geological timeframes.
In this example, we developed a new X-ray computer tomography system capable of measuring varying types of flow through porous media that will reduce model uncertainty applicable to waste disposal risk calculations, environmental remediation, and waste form development when describing the movement of liquids as they pass through glass, cement, fractured rock, or soil. These results are directly imported into 2-D models for discriminating between matrix & micropore flow.
In this example, we developed a new X-ray computer tomography system capable of measuring varying types of flow through porous media that will reduce model uncertainty applicable to waste disposal risk calculations, environmental remediation, and waste form development when describing the movement of liquids as they pass through glass, cement, fractured rock, or soil. These results are directly imported into 2-D models for discriminating between matrix & micropore flow.