Leach Testing of Waste Glasses Under Near-Saturation Conditions

Abstract

ABSTRACTTwo waste glasses, MCC 76-68 and C31-3, were leached in deionized water and 0.001 M MgCl2 for periods up to 158 days. At 57 days the gel layer was removed from some of the specimens and leaching continued for up to 100 days. Results from leaching in deionized water showed that the gel layer was not protective. Results from leaching in 0.001 M MgCl2 are in good agreement with the predicted results obtained from the use of the PHREEQE geochemical code and with sepiolite [Mg2Si306(OH)4] as the Mg-bearing precipitate. Both B and Si were predicted and observed to increase with increasing glass dissolution while maintaining sepiolite solubility. Both MCC 76-68 and C31-3 glasses showed increased leaching in 0.001 M MgCl2 upon removal of the layer. This suggests that the leaching mechanism is a function of the difference in the silica chemical potential between the glass and the gel layer.