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Updated: Dec 19, 2025
12:22
Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
Published on: November 9, 2015
11.7K
Plutonium Oxidation States in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Repository
J A Schramke1, E F U Santillan2, R T Peake2
1SC&A Inc., 2200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22201.
Applied Geochemistry : Journal of the International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry
|June 4, 2020
Summary
Plutonium solubility in Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) brines is controlled by Pu(III) solids under expected repository conditions. This finding is crucial for assessing potential plutonium release from WIPP.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Environmental Science
- Nuclear Waste Management
Background:
- The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a deep geologic repository for U.S. defense-related transuranic waste.
- Plutonium isotopes are key radionuclides in WIPP waste, with solubility highly dependent on oxidation state.
- Anoxic corrosion of iron in WIPP is expected to create strongly reducing conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of WIPP repository conditions on plutonium oxidation states.
- To determine the controlling plutonium species and their solubility in WIPP brines.
- To assess potential plutonium concentrations in brines under repository conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on plutonium reactions with reducing agents and radiolysis.
- Geochemical modeling using the ThermoChimie database.
- Assessment of plutonium oxidation states under reducing conditions.
Main Results:
- Plutonium solubility in WIPP brines is significantly lower for Pu(III) and Pu(IV) than for Pu(V) and Pu(VI).
- Reducing conditions, driven by iron corrosion, will favor Pu(III) and Pu(IV) long-term.
- Equilibrium with Pu(III) solids is predicted to control dissolved plutonium concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Pu(III) solid solubility likely controls dissolved plutonium in WIPP brines.
- This control mechanism may lead to higher predicted plutonium concentrations than if Pu(IV) solids were dominant.
- Pu(III) solid solubilities offer a reasonable upper bound for dissolved plutonium in WIPP brines.
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