Forty years of durability assessment of nuclear waste glass by standard methods

Standard methods to assess the durability of vitrified radioactive waste were first developed in the 1980’s and, over the last 40 years, have evolved to yield a range of responses depending on experimental conditions and glass composition. Mechanistic understanding of glass dissolution has progressed in parallel, enhancing our interpretation of the data acquired. With the implementation of subsurface disposal for vitrified radioactive waste drawing closer, it is timely to review the available standard methodologies and reflect upon their relative advantages, limitations, and how the data obtained can be interpreted to support the post-closure safety case for radioactive waste disposal.

Immobilization of 129I in nuclear waste glass matrixes synthesized under high-pressure conditions: an experimental study

Two recommendations are suggested for immobilizing 129I radioisotopes in high-pressure glasses: the use of an oxidized iodine form (I5+) instead of the reduced iodine form (I−) and the use of a sodium rich composition instead of a calcium rich one.