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.

To inject CO2 in geological formations, deep wells that penetrate the formations need to be constructed. The seal integrity of deep wells for CO2 leakage are enhanced by annulus cements. By injecting CO2, brine in formations can be carbonated and the potential degradation of annulus cement in the carbonated brine has been brought up. In this paper, Type G oil well cement (OWC) pastes are hydrated for 28 days. Conditions of geosequestration in a sandstone formation at a depth of roughly 1 km, was simulated by bubbling CO2 into a heated vessel containing brine. The hydrated OWC cylindrical specimens were exposed to this environment. Slices of the cement specimen were taken periodically, during and after exposure to quantify degradation progression. The elastic modulus of the specimens was examined prior to and after exposure. After 28 days of exposure, the degraded depth of specimen was measured as 4.137 mm. The elastic modulus of the specimens was measured as 2.2 GPa and 3.2 GPa prior to and after exposure respectively. Considering a composite action in the partially degraded specimen, the elastic modulus of degraded part can be extracted. The results indicated that the difference of elastic modulus in the partially degraded annulus cements could occur a composite action of deep wells subject to axial load and shear cracks would be generated due to the composite action.