The Introduction of Microbial Nutrients into A Nuclear Waste Disposal Vault during Excavation and Operation
In: Environmental Science & Technology, Jg. 32 (1998-02-01), S. 317-326
Online
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Zugriff:
AECL (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited) has developed a concept for permanent geological disposal of used nuclear fuel waste in Canada. This concept would involve disposal of the waste in corrosion-resistant metal containers, surrounded by compacted clay-based buffer and backfill materials, in a vault 500-1000 m deep in granitic rock of the Canadian Shield. Such a vault would not be a sterile environment. Microbial activity would be expected in those areas of a vault where effects of heat, moisture content, and radiation would not exclude microbial life and where sufficient nutrients would be present. Although the granitic rock environment is naturally nutrient-poor, a substantial amount of nutrients could be introduced from residues of explosives used in the excavation of a vault. Using standard rock leaching techniques, measurements of the concentrations of such residues were made in excavated rock, tunnel walls and mine service-water supplies at AECL's Underground Research Laboratory. The effects of these residues on the bacterial population size in groundwater were also determined. Results showed that the largest potential nutrient addition (both N and C) to a vault would result from using untreated broken rock as part of the backfill. Nitrate in the residues could increase groundwater bacterial populations by several orders of magnitude.
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The Introduction of Microbial Nutrients into A Nuclear Waste Disposal Vault during Excavation and Operation
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Autor/in / Beteiligte Person: | Stroes-Gascoyne, S. ; Gascoyne, Mel |
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Zeitschrift: | Environmental Science & Technology, Jg. 32 (1998-02-01), S. 317-326 |
Veröffentlichung: | American Chemical Society (ACS), 1998 |
Medientyp: | unknown |
ISSN: | 1520-5851 (print) ; 0013-936X (print) |
DOI: | 10.1021/es970496t |
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