Leaching of Actinides from the French LWR Reference Glass

Abstract

AbstractThe French LWR reference glass was spiked successively with 237Np, 239Pu, 238Pu and 241Am to study the specific leaching behavior of each actinide, as part of a larqer program investigating the effects of a decay in this glass. This paper describes the preparation of the α doped glasses and presents the initial leaching results for neptunium, plutonium and americium.Glass samples were leached for up to six months at 90°C under static conditions. Weight loss measurements were performed, and the leachate was analyzed by ICP for the inactive elements, and by a spectrometry for the actinides. The results provide a basis for comparing the retention capability of the glass for each actinide, and the alterability of the bulk glass.Finally, a comparison between glass specimens doped with 239Pu and with 238Pu, having the same chemical composition but very different specific activities, allows the effects of radiolysis on leaching to be estimated.