Estimation of multicomponent breakthrough curves in soil environment

Breakthrough curves were experimentally obtained for Co, Sr, Cs, Co-Sr and Co-Sr-Cs systems to examine effects of co-existence of nuclides on the adsorptivity of a soil. Results showed that the breakthrough curves of same nuclide differs considerably from single to binary and ternary component systems. These phenomena cannot be explained by Henry type isotherm theory which is dominantly used in the field of radioactive waste management. In the present study, based on Freundlich type isotherm and Radke-Prausnitz theory, estimation of breakthrough curves of multicomponent systems was carried out and good agreement was obtained between estimated and experimental results. The method proposed here enables us to estimate multicomponent nuclide migration in the groundwater only using single component adsorption parameters. (author)