Effects of cellulosic degradation products on uranium sorption in the geosphere

The current design concept for intermediate- and some low-level radioactive waste disposal in the UK involves emplacement in a cementitious repository deep underground. The movement of radionuclides away from such a repository through the host rock formation towards the biosphere is expected to be retarded to a significant degree by sorption processes. One major issue being studied is the effect on uranium sorption of degradation products arising from organic waste matter, especially cellulosic materials. The sorption of uranium could be reduced by degradation products, either because of complexation, or through the organic materials competing for sorption sites. Because of the complexity of authentic degradation products, work has also been carried out using gluconate and iso-saccharinate as well-characterised simulants. In the presence of high concentrations of either the authentic or simulated degradation products, significant reductions in uranium sorption have been observed. However, in the presence of lower concentrations of these organic materials, such as would be present in the repository, sorption was reduced at most by only a small margin and, in some cases, the results suggested a slight increase. ((orig.))