Potential uranium migration within the geochemical gradient of the opalinus clay system at the Mont Terri
- Transport properties of potential host rocks for nuclear waste disposal are typically determined in laboratory or in-situ experiments under geochemically controlled and constant conditions. Such a homogeneous assumption is no longer applicable on the host rock scale as can be seen from the pore water profiles of the potential host rock Opalinus Clay at Mont Terri (Switzerland). The embedding aquifers are the hydro-geological boundaries, that established gradients in the 210 m thick low permeable section through diffusive exchange over millions of years. Present-day pore water profiles were confirmed by a data-driven as well as by a conceptual scenario. Based on the modelled profiles, the influence of the geochemical gradient on uranium migration was quantified by comparing the distances after one million years with results of common homogeneous models. Considering the heterogeneous system, uranium migrated up to 24 m farther through the formation depending on the source term position within the gradient and on the partial pressure ofTransport properties of potential host rocks for nuclear waste disposal are typically determined in laboratory or in-situ experiments under geochemically controlled and constant conditions. Such a homogeneous assumption is no longer applicable on the host rock scale as can be seen from the pore water profiles of the potential host rock Opalinus Clay at Mont Terri (Switzerland). The embedding aquifers are the hydro-geological boundaries, that established gradients in the 210 m thick low permeable section through diffusive exchange over millions of years. Present-day pore water profiles were confirmed by a data-driven as well as by a conceptual scenario. Based on the modelled profiles, the influence of the geochemical gradient on uranium migration was quantified by comparing the distances after one million years with results of common homogeneous models. Considering the heterogeneous system, uranium migrated up to 24 m farther through the formation depending on the source term position within the gradient and on the partial pressure of carbon dioxide pCO2 of the system. Migration lengths were almost equal for single- and multicomponent diffusion. Differences can predominantly be attributed to changes in the sorption capacity, whereby pCO2 governs how strong uranium migration is affected by the geochemical gradient. Thus, the governing parameters for uranium migration in the Opalinus Clay can be ordered in descending priority: pCO2, geochemical gradients, mineralogical heterogeneity.</p>…
Author details: | Theresa HennigORCiDGND, Michael KühnORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3390/min11101087 |
ISSN: | 2075-163X |
Title of parent work (English): | Minerals |
Publisher: | MDPI |
Place of publishing: | Basel |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2021/10/03 |
Publication year: | 2021 |
Release date: | 2024/01/05 |
Tag: | PHREEQC; diffusion; hydro-geological system; reactive transport; repository far-field; sorption |
Volume: | 11 |
Issue: | 10 |
Article number: | 1087 |
Number of pages: | 22 |
Funding institution: | German Federal Ministry of Education and ResearchFederal Ministry of Education & Research (BMBF) [02NUK053D]; Helmholtz AssociationHelmholtz Association [SO-093, QJ]; GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Potsdam |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Geowissenschaften |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 55 Geowissenschaften, Geologie / 550 Geowissenschaften |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Publishing method: | Open Access / Gold Open-Access |
DOAJ gelistet | |
License (German): | CC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |