Migration experiments in Studsvik

Field experiments (two-well pulse method) on the migration of Sr and Cs in a gneiss at Studsvik on the Swedish east coast as well as supporting laboratory measurements on sorption/migration have been performed. Interconnected fractures at about 100 m depth between boreholes were located and characterized. In the boreholes measurements of resistivity, spontaneous potential, pH, Eh, curvature, temperature, gamma radiation, and radon have been performed. The fracture zones were localized, using TV-logging, and the mineralogy of the water bearing fractures in a drill core from the area determined. The main fissure filling minerals were chlorite, calcite and smectite. The groundwater composition was analyzed and it was found that the water in some cases is oversaturated with respect to calcium carbonate. Temperatures up to 12 degreeC of the pumped water have been observed, corresponding to water originating from 200-400 m depth. In laboratory batch measurements it was found that the distribution coefficient for Studsvik gneiss and possible fissure filling minerals was 0.01-0.4 m3/kg. The sorption isotherm for the gneiss was almost linear, a Freundlich isotherm with the exponent 0.89 fits well to the data. In two field experiments, performed between different boreholes, retention factors for Sr of 17 and 30, respectively, were obtained. In laboratory column experiments, performed on crushed borehole material, the retention factor was 30-35, corresponding to a distribution coefficient of 0.006-0.008 m3/kg. For Cs, injected simultanously with the Sr, the retentionfactor is > 30. (No breakthrough after 5000 h.). In both the field experiments a minor amount of the Sr was migrating almost without retention (retention factor < 2). This effect was not observed for Cs, indicating that the process causing the fast transport of Sr is selective to Sr. (author)