Chemical Experiments

We perform experimental investigations of solubility and sorption behaviour for a wide number of elements and sorbing materials.

We offer

Extensive experience and facilities developed over many years

wide range of sensitive analytical techniques

experience with cementitious and geological materials and waste components

close co-operation with chemical and assessment modelling to ensure appropriate experimental data are found.

The facilities available include:

a new radiochemical laboratory, providing handling facilities for a range of radionuclides (including the actinides)

a glove-box facility providing inert and controlled-atmosphere handling

radioanalytical counting facilities, including high resolution alpha and gamma spectrometries and low-level liquid scintillation counting

electron microprobe analysis, X-ray diffraction

scanning electron microscopy (SEM and TEM with EDAX)

nuclear microprobe featuring particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS)

secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)

mass spectrometric analysis of solutes by ICP-OES and ICP-MS (including a high resolution instrument for extremely low detection limits).

Close Facilities Description

J.A. Berry, A.J. Baker, K.A. Bond, M.M. Cowper, N.L. Jefferies and C.M. Linklater, The Role of Sorption onto Rocks of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group in Providing Chemical Containment for a Potential Repository At Sellafield, in: R. Metcalfe and C.A. Rochelle (Eds): Chemical Containment of Wastes in the Geosphere. Geol Soc. Spec. Pub. 157, 101-116, 1999.

S. Baker and M.M. Cowper, Mineralisation Reactions of Thorium, Uranium and Plutonium in the Near Field of a Cementitious Repository, AEA Technology Report AEAT/R/ENV/0353, 2001 (also Barrier Performance of Cements and Concretes in Nuclear Waste Repositories, European Commission Report EUR19780, Section 7, 2001.)

M. Brownsword, M. Mihara and S.J. Williams, Sorption of Uranium and Plutonium on Bentonite altered by Highly Alkaline Water, in Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXIII, eds R.W. Smith and D.W. Shoesmith, pp. 249-254, 2001.

B.F. Greenfield, D.J. Ilett, M. Ito, R. McCrohon, T.G. Heath, C.J. Tweed. S.J. Williams and M Yui, The Effect of Cement Additives on Radionuclide Solubilities, Radiochimica Acta 82, 27-32, 1998.

S. Baker, G.M.N. Baston, M.C. Manning, R. McCrohon and S.J. Williams, The Aqueous Solubility Behaviour of Selenium, Technetium and Tin, AEA Technology Report AEAT/R/ENV/0233, 2000.

P. Biddle, B.F. Greenfield, N.J. Pilkington and M.W. Spindler, Further Studies on the Effects of the Products from the Anaerobic Degradation of Cellulosic Wastes in the Near Field, AEA Technology Report AEAT/ERRA-0154, 2000.

See also papers in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Chemistry/Nirex Symposium: The Chemistry of Deep Disposal of Radioactive Waste, Nirex Science Report S/98/008, 1998.

Close Publications List

Chemical experiments are a key source of information on the behaviour of radioelements in environments tailored to customer's needs.

Last updated: 06-Mar-2003