Chemical durability of strontium-contaminated soil vitrified by microwave sintering

Chemical durability is one of the most important evaluation indexes of the long-term stability of solidified nuclear waste. In this study, a product consistency test method was used to explore the chemical durability of strontium-contaminated soil treated by microwave sintering. The influencing factors included soil type, soil composition, their coupling effects and the pH value of the leaching environment. The results of the research showed that strontium release is promoted in acidic or alkaline environments. The chemical stability of the sintered sample was proved to be able to meet the needs of long-term storage and the corrosion mechanism of sample was analyzed. In addition, the chemical durability of the solidified soil was related to the molar ratio of Al₂O₃/SiO₂. (author)