Low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes have been disposed of in the first-phase deep underground silo disposal at Gyeongju in South Korea. These radioactive wastes contain harmful radionuclides such as Uranium-238 (238U), which can pose long-term and deleterious effects on humans and the natural environment. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and isosaccharinic acid, which can be formed via cellulosic waste degradation under high alkaline conditions might considerably enhance the transport behavior of 238U with the intrusion of rainwater and groundwater. In this study, the engineered barriers (concrete and grout) and natural barriers (sedimentary rock and granite) were used to investigate the 238U transport behavior in artificial cementitious porewater of State I (pH 13.3) and State II (pH 12.5) based on groundwater or rainwater. The surface properties and geochemical compositions of barrier samples were characterized using XRD, XRF, SEM-EDX, and BET. The transport behaviors of 238U in various solution conditions were observed by sorption distribution coefficient (Kd) at a range of initial chelating agents concentration (10-5-10-2 M). The sorption behavior of 238U was retarded more in the engineered rock barriers than in the natural rock barriers. The mobility enhancement of 238U was more significant in State I than in State II. In comparison with the absence of chelating agents, negligible changes in the Kd values of 238U were observed at less than initial chelating agent concentrations of 10-4 M. However, the Kd values of 238U were significantly reduced at initial chelating agent concentrations higher than 10-3 M. Therefore, these experimental findings show that the transport behavior of 238U into the geo- and bio-sphere could be accelerated by the presence of chelating agents and the type of cement degradation states.

Engineered barriers (concrete and grout) in Low- and Intermediate-Level Waste (L/ILW) disposal facilities tend to degrade by groundwater or rainfall water over a long period of time. During the degradation process, radionuclides stored in the disposal facility might be released into the pore water, which can pass through the natural rock barriers (granite and sedimentary rock) and may reach the near-field and far-field. In this transportation, radionuclide might be sorbed onto the engineered and natural rock barriers. In addition, the organic complexing agent such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and α-isosaccharinic acid (ISA), is also present in pore water, which may affect the sorption and mobility of radionuclide. In this study, the sorption and mobility of 90Sr under different conditions such as two pHs (7 and 13), different initial concentrations of organic complexing agents (from 10-5 M to 10-2 M), and solutions (groundwater, pore water, and rainfall water) were investigated in a batch system. The groundwater was collected at the L/ILW disposal facility located at Gyeongju in South Korea. The pore water and rainfall water were artificially made in the laboratory. The concrete, grout, granite, and sedimentary rock samples were collected from the same study sites from where the groundwater was collected. The rock samples were crushed to 53-150 micrometers and were characterized by XRD, XRF, SEM-EDS, BET, and zeta potential analyzer. 90Sr concentration was determined using liquid scintillation counting. The sorption of 90Sr was described by distribution coefficients (Kd) and sorption reduction factor (SRF). In the case of EDTA, the Kd values of 90Sr remained constant from 10-5 M to 10-3 M and tended to decrease at 10-2 M, while in case of ISA the Kd values decreased steadily as the concentration of ISA was increased from 10-5 M to 10-3 M; However, a sudden reduction in the Kd values were observed above 10-2 M. In comparison to EDTA, ISA gave a higher SRF of 90Sr. Therefore, from the above results, it can be concluded that the presence of ISA has a greater effect on the sorption and mobility of radionuclide in the solutions than EDTA, and the radionuclide may reach near- and far-field of the L/ILW disposal facility.

Radionuclides stored in a radioactive waste repository over a long period of time might be leached through the barriers such as engineered rock (cement) and natural rock (granite). Organic complexing agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and isosaccharinic acid (ISA) may also influence the mobility of radionuclides. In this study, a continuous fixed-column reactor packed with engineered and natural rocks was designed to investigate the effect of organic complexing agents on cesium mobility through cement and granite under anaerobic conditions. The influent flow rate of the mixed solution (organic complexing agent and cesium) at the column bottom was 0.1 mL/min, while that of groundwater was 0.2 mL/min, which was introduced between cement and granite layers in the middle of the column. The hydraulic properties such as diffusion coefficient and retardation factor were derived by a bromide tracer test. The effects of different operating parameters, such as initial cesium concentrations, initial EDTA or ISA concentrations, and bed size, on the cesium adsorption were investigated. The Thomas, Adams-Bohart, and Yoon-Nelson models were applied to the experimental data to predict the breakthrough curves using non-linear regression. These results suggest that organic complexing agents such as EDTA and ISA significantly influence the mobility of cesium in the barriers, indicating that the presence of complexing agents enhances the migration of cesium to the geosphere.

Cellulose-based wastes can be degraded into short-chain organic acids at the cementitious radioactive waste repository. Isosaccharinic acid (ISA), one of the main degradation products, can form the chelate complex with metals and radionuclides, and these complexes have a potential that can accelerate to move the radionuclides to far-field from the repository. This study characterized the amount of generated ISA from typical cellulosic materials in the repository. Two different degradation experiments were conducted under alkaline conditions (saturated with Ca(OH)2 at pH 12.4): i) cellulosic material mixture under an opened condition (partially aerobic), and ii) cellulosic material under an anaerobic condition in a nitrogen-purged glove box. In the first case, three different types of cellulosic materials–paper, cotton, and wood– were mixed at the same ratio, and the experiments were carried out at three different temperatures (20°C, 40°C, and 60°C). It revealed that both the cellulose degradation rate and generated ISA concentration were high at high reaction temperatures, and various soluble degradation products such as formic acid and lactic acid were generated. The cellulose degradation in this work seems to still stay at a peeling-off process. In the second study, each type of cellulosic material was applied in its own batch experiments, and the amount of generated ISA was in the order of paper > wood > cotton. The above two experiments are supposed to be a long-term study until the generated ISA reaches an equilibrium state.

Organic complexing agents which are contained in the radioactive waste can form the complex with radionuclides and enhance the solubility of radionuclides. The mobility of radionuclides to the far-field from the repository will be increased by radionuclide-ligand complex formation. Therefore, the assessment of the radionuclides’ solubility should be performed in the presence of organic complexing agents. In this study, five radionuclides (cobalt, strontium, iodine, cesium, and uranium) and three organic complexing agents (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and isosaccharinic acid (ISA)) were selected as model radionuclides and organic complexing agents, respectively. For simulating the in-situ condition, the groundwater near the repository was collected and applied in solubility experiments and the solubility was measured in various environmental conditions such as different pHs (7, 9, 11, and 13), temperatures (10°C, 20°C, and 40°C), and a range of organic complexing agent concentrations (10-5, 10-4, 10-3, and 10-2 M). In cases of cesium and iodine, they were very soluble in all conditions, and the effect on their solubilities was not observed. However, at high pHs, cobalt and strontium showed lower solubilities than at neutral pH and the solubility enhancement by the organic complexing agents was significant. Moreover, the effects of each organic ligand showed obvious differences and were in the order of EDTA > NTA > ISA. The solubility of uranium was increased with increasing the organic ligand concentration at lower pHs, but the organic complexing agents did not cause a remarkable difference at high pHs. According to these results, the presence of complexing agents could enhance the radionuclides’ solubility and increase the potential to release the radionuclides to the far-field from the repository. Solubility experiments of other major radionuclides in the repository are in progress.

Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD), regulatory body and civic groups are calling for an infrastructure system that can more systematically and safely manage data on the results of radioactive waste sampling and nuclide analysis in accordance with radioactive waste disposal standards. To solve this problem, a study has been conducted on the analysis of the nuclide pattern of radioactive waste on the nuclide data contained in low-and intermediate-level radioactive waste. This paper will explain the optimal repackaged algorithm for reducing radioactive waste based on previous research results. The optimal repackaged algorithm for radioactive waste reduction is comprised based on nuclide pattern association indicators, classification by nuclide level of small-packaged waste, and nuclide concentration. Optimization simulation is carried out in the order of deriving nuclide concentration by small-packaged, normalizing drum minimization as a function of purpose, normalizing constraints, and optimization. Two scenarios were applied to the simulation. In Scenario 1 (generating facilities and repackaged by medium classification without optimization), it was assumed that there are 886 low-level drums and 52 very low-level drums. In Scenario 2 (generating facilities and repackaged by medium classification with optimization), 708 and 230 drums were assigned to the low-level and very low-level drums, respectively. As a result of the simulation, when repackaged in consideration of the nuclide concentration and constraints according to the generating facility cluster & middle classification by small package (Scenario 2) the low-level drum had the effect of reducing 178 drums from the baseline value of 886 drums to 708 drums. It was found that the reduced packages were moved to the very low-level drum. The system that manages the full life-cycle of radioactive waste can be operated effectively only when the function of predicting or tracking the occurrence of radioactive waste drums from the source of radioactive waste to the disposal site is secured. If the main factors affecting the concentration and pattern of nuclides are systematically managed through these systems, the system will be used as a useful tool for policy decisions that can prevent human error and drastically reduce the generation of disposable drums.

There are generally two kinds of spent filter; one is spent filter media for mainly gaseous purification such as HEPA filter, the other is spent filter cartridge for liquid purification such as CVCS BRS cartridge type filter. The spent filter cartridge from liquid purification system has been storing in special shielding space in auxiliary building in NPPs since the beginning of 2006 according to the long term storage strategy for decaying short lived radionuclide and gaining the time for selecting practical treatment technology before final packaging. The spent filter cartridges generated Kori-1 reactor vary in their sizes as in length from 913 mm to 290 mm and range in radiation level from several hundred mSv per hour to below mSv per hour . It is high time that the spent filter cartridge is treated and packaged because LILW repository in Wolsung area is operating and Kori-1 reactor is scheduled to decommission. The spent filter cartridge is one of the wet solid wastes required of solidification. It is difficult for the spent filter cartridge to solidify because of their shape, structure, physical and chemical characteristics in addition to having high radiation level. NSSC notice defines that solidification of wet solid wastes include that solid material such as spent filter is encapsulated with cement, etc. as a form of macro-encapsulation. The radioactive waste acceptance criteria describes that non-homogeneous waste having above 74,000 Bq/g such as spent filter, dry active waste should be encapsulated with qualified material. Homogeneous waste such as spent resin, sludge, concentrated waste (liquid waste evaporator bottoms), etc. should be solidified complied with requirements except that spent filter which is allowed to encapsulate. It is needed to guide to the practice of these two requirements for spent filter. The sampling and test method is different between homogeneous solidification waste form and spent filter cartridge encapsulation waste form. For example, how core sample can be taken and how void space can be measured among spent filter cartridge in encapsulation waste form. The technical evaluation report for spent filter cartridge polymer encapsulation by US NRC has been reviewed and the technical position of US NRC was identified. As a result of review, improvement fields of waste acceptance criteria for spent filters are pointed out, and the technical position of US NRC for spent filter cartridge solidification is summarized. The recommendation on improvement directions for spent filter cartridge encapsulation is suggested.

The Deep Borehole Disposal (DBD) method has various advantages, such as minimizing the use of site area and corrosion of the disposal container and improving long-term structural safety. However, it is necessary to review the problems that may occur in various technologies related to the emplacement and retrieval of the disposal container and the sealing of the borehole. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the structural integrity of an emplacement and retrieval device (hereinafter, the disposal container connecting device) of a DBD container. The disposal connecting device was evaluated according to ANSI 14.6 and NUREG-0612 standards. The allowable stress should be less than the yield strength under the load condition of 3g. The length of the disposal container connecting device was about 2,900 mm, the diameter was 406 mm, and the weight was about 1.2 tons. In addition, 10 disposal containers weighing up to 2.2 tons were handled. The disposal container connecting device was made of stainless steel, and the maximum operating temperature was about 300°C. For structural evaluation, ABAQUS finite element analysis program was used. The analysis model was modeled only 1/2 part considering symmetry condition. The analysis model was modeled using 410,431 nodes and 344,119 solid elements. Three times load was applied to the weight of the disposal container. Axisymmetric conditions were applied to the symmetrical surface of the disposal container, and vertical restraints were applied to the upper lifting lugs. A surface-to-surface contact condition was applied to the part where the contact occurred. As a result of the analysis, the greatest stress was generated at the part supported by the clamp at the disposal container connector at 168.9 MPa. In the lugs and pins connecting the guide and the connecting device, a stress of 530.1 MPa was generated by shearing. In the bolts of the disposal container connecting device, a stress of 498MPa was generated and the safety margin was 1.73. A stress of 486.1 MPa was generated in the disposal container connecting device, and the safety margin was the smallest 1.16. As a result of the analysis, all components of the disposal container connecting device showed a safety margin of 1.16 or more at the maximum operating temperature and satisfied the allowable stress.