Conceptual Structure of Performance Assessments for Geologic Disposal of Radioactive Waste

Author(s):  
Jon C. Helton ◽  
Clifford W. Hansen ◽  
Cédric J. Salaberry
2004 ◽  
Vol 824 ◽  
Author(s):  
William M. Murphy ◽  
Steve Soldavini ◽  
Colin M. Gallagher

AbstractRadionuclide concentration limits are important parameters in performance assessments for geologic disposal of nuclear waste, but their statistical distributions are challenging to define. Thermodynamic solubilities provide an attractive theoretical constraint, but solubilities do not provide a basis for distribution functions, and concentration limits can exceed solubilities in irreversible systems. Distributions of natural concentrations are broad and do not correspond to distributions of concentration limits. Interpretations of natural nickel and lead concentrations suggest that they do not represent concentration limit distributions. Interpretation of groundwater data for dissolved calcium indicates a bimodal distribution, which hypothetically corresponds to a solubility-limited population and a population of values below the solubility limits.


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