Abstract
Static leaching experiments have been conducted to evaluate the durability of sodium borosilicate glass as the host matrix for immobilized high-level radioactive wastes. Simulated granitic groundawater, synthetic Grande Ronde basaltic groundwater and distilled deionized water have been used. The results indicated a strong influence of the leachant composition through both its pH and nature as well as concentrations of the ions present on the leach rate. The roles of silicon, boron and a few other elements on leaching have been examined. Three surface area to volume ratios (SA/V) and two temperatures were investigated. Total mass loss and normalized elemental mass loss results showed that the rate of release decreased with increased SA/V ratio in the three leachants at both temperatures. The rate of leaching at 90 °C was 5–30 times higher than that at 40 °C. Activation energies for the glass at three SA/V ratios have been calculated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D. L. MOIR, A. CHATT, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 116 (1987) 389.
G. MATTHESS, The Properties of Groundwater, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, 1982, p. 218.
T. T. VANDERGRAAF, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited-Research Centre, Proc. 13th Information Meeting of the Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program, Vol. 2, TR-201, 1982, p. 252.
W. J. GRAY, Scientific Basis for Nuclcar Wastc Management, 7 G. L. McVAY, (Ed.), North-Holland, New York, 1984, p. 147.
J. A. SCHLEICHER, D. B. HECK, Developments in Applied Spectroscopy, 8 (1969) 138.
P. R. GRAFF, F. J. LANGMYHR, Anal. Chim. Acta, 21 (1959) 429.
F. A. DUCE, S. S. YAMAMURA, Talanta, 17 (1970) 143.
Chemical Durability and Related Properties of Solidified High-Level Waste Forms, International Atomic Energy Agency, Technical Report Series No. 257, Vienna, 1985.
L. R. PEDERSON, C. Q. BUCKWALTER, G. L. McVAY, Nucl. Technol., 62 (1983) 151.
G. G. WICKS, B. M. ROBNETT, W. D. RANKIN, Scientific Basis for Nuclcar Waste Management, Vol. 5, W. LUTZE (Ed.), North-Holland, New York, 1982, p. 15.
J. A. GARLAND, W. B. WHITE, Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. 8, C. M. JANTZEN, J. A. STONE, R. C. EWING (Eds), Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, 1985, p. 81.
B. C. SALES, C. W. WHITE, G. M. BEGUN, L. A. BOATNER, J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 67 (1984) 245.
D. M. STRACHAN, Nucl. Chem. Waste Manag., 4 (1983) 177.
F. LANZA, U. DEMICHELI, E. PARNISAR, Technical Note, Commission of the European Communities Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy, 1983.
G. D. RIECK, Tungsten and Its Compounds Pergamon Press, New York, 1967.
R. R. RAO, A. CHATT, Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. 12, W. LUTZE, R. C. EWING (Eds), Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, 1989, p. 897.
F. M. PERELMAN, Rubidium and Cesium, The MacMillan Company, New York, 1965.
D. M. STRACHAN, R. O. LOKKEN, Advances in Ceramics, Vol. 8, Nuclear Waste Management, 1984, p. 39.
J. H. WESTIK, Jr., R. D. PETERS, Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. 3, J. G. MOORE (Ed.), Plenum Press, New York, 1981, p. 355.
R. GRAUER, Glasses Used in the Solidification of High-Level Radioactive Waste: Their Behavior in Aqueous Solutions, Technical Report 83-01 for the Swiss Federal Institute of Reactor Research, Wurenlingen, 1983.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moir, D.L., Chatt, A. Studies on leaching behaviour of sodium borosilicate glasses by neutron activation: Effects of groundwater composition, pH, surface area to volume ratio, and temperature. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 161, 503–526 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02040498
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02040498