Reactive transport calculations to evaluate sulphide fluxes in the near-field of a SF/HLW repository in the Opalinus Clay

Pekala, Marek; Wersin, Paul; Cloet, Veerle; Diomidis, Nikitas (2019). Reactive transport calculations to evaluate sulphide fluxes in the near-field of a SF/HLW repository in the Opalinus Clay. Applied geochemistry, 100, pp. 169-180. Elsevier 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.11.006

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Radioactive waste is planned to be disposed in a deep geological repository in the Opalinus Clay (OPA) rock formation in Switzerland. Copper coating of the steel disposal canister is considered as an option to ensure complete waste containment for a period of 100’000 years. Sulphide is a potential corroding agent to copper. While background sulphide concentrations in the OPA are very low (ca. 10−11 mol/L), it cannot be ruled out that sulphide reducing bacteria (SRB) thriving at discrete locations within the engineered barrier system (EBS) of the repository could generate significantly higher dissolved sulphide concentrations. The aim of this study is to conservatively evaluate the potential for SRB to generate and sustain elevated sulphide concentrations in the repository near-field by considering specific geochemical bottle-necks, to quantify the maximum sulphide fluxes towards the canister, and to assess their potential to corrode the copper canister coating. To address these objectives reactive transport calculations are performed, and main conceptual and parametric uncertainties of the model are assessed.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geological Sciences
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geological Sciences > Applied Rock-Water-Interaction

UniBE Contributor:

Pekala, Marek, Wersin, Paul

Subjects:

500 Science > 550 Earth sciences & geology

ISSN:

0883-2927

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Paul Wersin

Date Deposited:

05 Feb 2019 15:25

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:24

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.11.006

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.123575

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/123575

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