CHEMICAL DURABILITY OF LOW-LEVEL SIMULATED NUCLEAR WASTE GLASSES WITH HIGH-CONCENTRATIONS OF MINOR COMPONENTS

The chemical durability of low-level waste (LLW) glasses, containing soluble and over-saturated amounts of Cl, F, P2O5, SO3, and Cr2O3, was investigated using a static Product Consistency Test (PCT) and a dynamic Flow- Through Test (FTT). Results from both tests showed that P2O5, SO3, and Cr2O3 decreased glass durability, among which Cr2O3 had the largest effect. PCT glass dissolution was affected by the leaching of the minor components into solution, and the pH was the lowest for F-spiked glasses both at die beginning and the end of the PCT. In the case, F appeared to improve the glass durability. However, FTT results revealed that F in glass severely decreased the glass durability to a greater extent than Cr2O3. Chlorine appeared to improve glass durability slightly.