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Long-Term Predictions of the Concentration of a-isosaccharinic Acid in Cement Pore Water

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Martin A. Glaus
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Waste Management, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
Luc R. Van Loon
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Waste Management, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
Bernhard Schwyn
Affiliation:
National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra), Wettingen, Switzerland
Sarah Vines
Affiliation:
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Radioactive Waste Management Directorate, Curie Avenue, Harwell Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0RH, UK
Steve J. Williams
Affiliation:
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Radioactive Waste Management Directorate, Curie Avenue, Harwell Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0RH, UK
Peter Larsson
Affiliation:
Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB), Box 5864, SE-102 40 Stockholm, Sweden
Ignasi Puigdomenech
Affiliation:
Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB), Box 5864, SE-102 40 Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract

The long-term prediction of the equilibrium concentration of α-isosaccharinic acid (α-ISA) in cement pore water is a crucial step in the assessment of the role of cellulose in the safety of a cementitious repository. The aim of the present contribution is to summarise recent efforts in identifying the most important processes leading to the formation or degradation of α-ISA and in predicting its most likely concentrations in cement pore water. The issues considered are the kinetics involved in the formation of α-ISA, reactions of α-ISA with dissolved or solid compounds that may lead to limitations of its pore water concentrations and the chemical stability of α-ISA in a heterogeneous alkaline environment. Some new results are presented showing that α-ISA is degraded to low-molecular weight organic compounds in the presence of oxygen, whereas such processes occur only to a minor extent under anaerobic conditions. It is concluded that the processes involved in the degradation of cellulose under alkaline conditions are not sufficiently understood to explain fully the observed concentrations of α-ISA in long-term experiments.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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