PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Transport of strontium and cesium in simulated Hanford tank waste leachate through quartz sand under saturated and unsaturated flow

Environmental Science and Technology, ISSN: 0013-936X, Vol: 44, Issue: 21, Page: 8089-8094
2010
  • 27
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 26
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

Article Description

We investigated the effects of water saturation and secondary precipitate formation on Sr and Cs transport through quartz sand columns under saturated and unsaturated flow. Column experiments were conducted at effective water saturation ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 under steady-state flow using either 0.1 M NaNO or simulated tank waste leachate (STWL; 1 M NaNO and 1 M NaOH) mimicking Hanford (Washington, USA) tank waste. In 0.1 M NaNO columns, Sr transported like a conservative tracer, whereas Cs was retarded relative to Sr. The transport of Sr and Cs in the 0.1 M NaNO columns under all water saturations could be described with the equilibrium convection-dispersion equation (CDE). In STWL columns, Sr mobility was significantly reduced compared to the 0.1 M NaNO column, because Sr was incorporated into or sorbed to neo-formed secondary precipitates. Strontium sequestration by precipitates was confirmed by additional batch and electron micrograph analyses. In contrast, the transport of Cs was less affected by the STWL; retardation of Cs in STWL columns was similar to that found in 0.1 M NaNO columns. Analysis of STWL column data revealed that both Sr and Cs breakthrough curves showed nonideal behavior that suggest nonequilibrium conditions, although nonlinear geochemical behavior cannot be ruled out. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Bibliographic Details

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know