Electrochemical influences of vitreous leached surfaces

Correlation of leached layer surface composition and measured surface potentials for simple glasses and waste glasses indicate that the important components of the leached layers are bound to the surface by electrostatic interactions. Site-binding electrical double layer models can also be applied to radionuclide adsorption onto geologic media since any solid immersed in an electrolyte (simulated groundwater) has a surface charge. Since adsorption of multivalent elements such as Fe, Mn, Tc, Np, Pu, and U are redox sensitive, the surface chemistry and the leaching mechanisms of the waste form and the geologic media are sensitive to the oxygen content of the groundwater. 12 references, 16 figures, 2 tables