Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Three types of rock are considered for nuclear waste repositories: salt domes, crystalline rock and argillaceous rock. In this work, clay minerals and natural argillaceous rock are the subject of interest. North German clay deposits have high ionic strength pore water, up to 4 mol L-1. Therefore in the event of container failure, the nuclear waste will be in an environment of high salinity. To study the retention of radionuclides in clays in salinar systems, the experiments in the current project are carried out at high ionic strengths. Previous research(1) at HZDR investigated U(VI) sorption and diffusion at Opalinus clay and kaolinite in natural pore water and sodium perchlorate at low ionic strengths.