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Stability of Mineral Matter in Aqueous Media of the ChernobylUnit-4 Shelter: Thermodynamic Evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2012

V. A. Sinitsyn ,
D. A. Kulik ,
M. Skhodorivski ,
V. A. Kurepin ,
A. Y. Abramis ,
I. L. Kolyabina  and
N. A. Shurpach
V. A. Sinitsyn
Affiliation:
Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy & Ore Formation, NAS Ukraine, 252180 Kyiv, Ukraine R&D Centre “META”, Minchornobyl Ukraine, 255620 Chomobyl, Ukraine
D. A. Kulik
Affiliation:
State Scientific Centre for Environmental Radiogeochemistry, 252180 Kyiv, Ukraine
M. Skhodorivski
Affiliation:
R&D Centre “META”, Minchornobyl Ukraine, 255620 Chomobyl, Ukraine
V. A. Kurepin
Affiliation:
Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy & Ore Formation, NAS Ukraine, 252180 Kyiv, Ukraine
A. Y. Abramis
Affiliation:
R&D Centre “META”, Minchornobyl Ukraine, 255620 Chomobyl, Ukraine
I. L. Kolyabina
Affiliation:
R&D Centre “META”, Minchornobyl Ukraine, 255620 Chomobyl, Ukraine
N. A. Shurpach
Affiliation:
Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy & Ore Formation, NAS Ukraine, 252180 Kyiv, Ukraine
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Abstract

A special geochemical environment exists within the Shelter (”Sarcophagus”)erected in 1986 over the destroyed Unit-4 of Chernobyl nuclear power plant(NPP). Based upon the available in situ and compositionaldata, thermodynamic models of solid-aqueous interactions were developed toclarify the leaching behaviour of various materials within the Shelter. The“Selektor-A” code, based on a convex programming approach to Gibbs freeenergy minimization, was used for the calculations. A built-in flexiblehybrid thermodynamic database for the systemNa-K-Ca-Mg-Cl-S-N-H-O-Si-P-Fe-Al-Sr-Cs was extended with the criticallyselected and matched parameters for aqueous species and solid phases in theU-Zr-Si-O-H subsystem, secondary U-minerals, mineral phases of fullyhydrated Portland cements and U-bearing zircons. Modeling results show thatthe “Shelter waters” can selectively leach a significant quantity of U andSi from the fuel-containing masses, while Zr, Fe, Ca, Mg and some othercomponents are rather insoluble. Serpentinite, assemblages of fully-hydratedphases of Portland cements, and oxidation products of steel structuralelements are estimated to be sufficiently stable in the aqueous environmentof the Shelter. Our calculations also define some feasible pathways forsecondary mineral formation from evaporation of Shelter water solutions andinteractions between these waters with the mineral matter inside theShelter.

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Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 465: Symposium II – Scienfific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XX , 1996 , 1327
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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