Modeling of colloid-associated radionuclide transport in porous groundwater aquifers at the Gorleben site, Germany

Abstract

Results are presented which have been obtained in prediction studies on the colloid-associated transport of radionuclides through porous groundwater aquifers overlying as geochemical barrier the planned nuclear repository site at Gorleben, Germany. The studies incorporate three-phase retardation factors for ²²⁷Ac, ²²⁸Th, ²³²U and ²¹⁰Pb in site-specific groundwater aquifers containing humic colloids and efficiencies for Brownian deposition of colloidal carriers onto immobile sedimentary grains. It is shown that colloid-bound radionuclide migration can be approximately modeled by using the basic advection-dispersion transport equation modified with three-phase retardation coefficients and colloid-chemical attachment factors due to the presence of multiple phases, i.e., fluid, colloid and immobile solid. Moreover, results of site-specific assessment studies indicate that the transport of colloid-associated radionuclides in porous groundwater aquifers overlying the Gorleben salt dome may not occur over long distances, provided that the nuclides are transported by porous flow only.