28 research outputs found
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Soil aggregate stabilization and carbon sequestration: Feedbacks through organomineral associations
Primary production (specifically, the rate and quality of C transfer below ground) and soil microbial activity (specifically, the rates of C transformation and decay) are recognized as the overall biological processes governing soil organic C (SOC) dynamics. These two processes and, hence, SOC cycling and storage are controlled by complex underlying biotic and abiotic interactions and feedbacks, most of which can be tied in one way or another to the influences of the five state factors related to soil formation, and many of which are sensitive to management practices. Overall, C input rates and quality are largely dependent on climate (especially temperature and precipitation), vegetation type and landscape, soil type, and management practices. Decomposition processes and turnover rates, however, are greatly influenced by climate, the type and quality of organic matter (e.g., N content and the ratios of C:N and lignin:N), chemical or physicochemical associations of organic matter (OM) with soil mineral components, and the location of OM within the soil
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Feasibility of using plants to assist in the remediation of heavy metal contamination at J-Field, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Final report
Most remedial technologies currently being used at hazardous waste sites (e.g., containment, excavation, soil washing, or incineration) are expensive. Further, in some locations technologies involving excavation could increase off-site releases of hazardous materials by destabilizing the site. Thus, interest in the development of in situ bioremediation technologies has grown substantially over the last decade. The idea of phytoremediation (i.e., using plants to clean up toxic wastes) is generating increasing attention from scientists, industry, and government agencies. The attractiveness of phytoremediation stems from its potential (1) to be less expensive than technologies involving the human engineering costs of soil manipulation, and (2) to initiate simultaneously both the clean up of hazardous materials and site restoration. The purpose of this project was to investigate the potential for using plants to remediate J-Field soils contaminated with heavy metals. Phragmites australis, one of the dominant species in the Toxic Burning Pits (TBP) area and other contaminated sites within J-Field, appears to be both tolerant of heavy metal contaminated soil conditions and capable of producing large amounts of biomass. Consequently, this project has concentrated on characterizing heavy metal accumulation by Phragmites australis growing in the TBP area relative to soil concentrations and availabilities. This type of information is necessary to determine the feasibility of using this species to assist in the remediation of metal contaminated soils at J-Field
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Examination plan for the soils and low-level radioactive waste forms of the NRC field testing lysimeters
The Field Lysimeter Investigations: Low-Level Waste Data Base Development Program is obtaining information on the performance of radioactive waste forms. These experiments were recently shut down and have been examined in accordance with a detailed waste form and soil sampling plan. Ion-exchange resins from a commercial nuclear power station were solidified into waste forms using portland cement and vinyl ester-styrene. These waste forms were tested to (a) obtain information on performance of waste forms in typical disposal environments, (b) compare field results with bench leach studies, (c) develop a low-level waste data base for use in performance assessment source term calculations, and (d) apply the DUST computer code to compare predicted cumulative release to actual field data. The program, funded by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), includes observed radionuclide releases from waste forms at two test sites over 10 years of successful operation. Lysimeters are ideal systems for obtaining actual field test data because, when properly designed and operated, they can be used to isolate soil and waste systems under actual environmental conditions. The purpose of this paper is to present the experimental plan for the examination of the waste forms and soils of the two lysimeter arrays, which have now been shut down. Vertical soil cores have been taken from the soil columns and will be analyzed with radiochemistry to define movement of radionuclides after release from the waste forms. A comparison is made of the DUST-predicted releases to those previously determined and reported from the lysimeter leachate analyses. That comparison uses new partition coefficients (Kd) recently obtained from laboratory analysis of the lysimeter soils and sand. Those DUST code results also will be compared to actual radionuclide movements through the soil columns as determined from soil core analysis
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Experiment close out of lysimeter field testing of low-level radioactive waste forms
The Field Lysimeter Investigations: Low-Level Waste Data Base Development Program is obtaining information on the performance of radioactive waste forms. These experiments were recently shut down and the contents of the lysimeters have been examined in accordance with a detailed waste form and soil sampling plan. Ion-exchange resins from a commercial nuclear power station were solidified into waste forms using portland cement and vinyl ester-styrene. These waste forms were tested to (a) obtain information on performance of waste forms in typical disposal environments, (b) compare field results with bench leach studies, (c) develop a low-level waste data base for use in performance assessment source term calculations, and (d) apply the DUST computer code to compare predicted cumulative release to actual field data. The program, funded by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), includes observed radio nuclide releases from waste forms in field lysimeters at two test sites over 10 years of successful operation. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the examination of waste forms and soils of the two lysimeter arrays after shut down. During this examination, the waste forms were characterized after removal from the lysimeters and the results compared to the findings of the original characterizations. Vertical soil cores were taken from the soil columns and analyzed with radiochemistry to define movement of radionuclides in the soils after release from the waste forms. A comparison is made of the DUST and BLT code predictions of releases and movement, using recently developed partition coefficients and leachate measurements, to actual radio nuclide movement through the soil columns as determined from these core analyses
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Field Lysimeter Investigations: Low-Level Waste Data Base Development Program for fiscal year 1994. Annual report, Volume 7
The Field Lysimeter Investigations: Low-Level Waste Data Base Development Program, funded by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is (a) studying the degradation effects in EPICOR-II organic ion-exchange resins caused by radiation, (b) examining the adequacy of test procedures recommended in the Branch Technical Position on Waste Form to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 61 using solidified EPICOR-II resins, (c) obtaining performance information on solidified EPICOR-II ion-exchange resins in a disposal environment, and (d) determining the condition of EPICOR-II liners. Compressive test results of 11-year-old cement and vinyl ester-styrene solidified waste forms are presented, which show effects of aging and self-irradiation. Results of the ninth year of data acquisition from the field testing are presented and discussed. During the continuing field testing, both portland type I-II cement and Dow vinyl ester-styrene waste forms are being tested in lysimeter arrays located at Argonne National Laboratory-East in Illinois and at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The study is designed to provide continuous data on nuclide release and movement, as well as environmental conditions, over a 20-year period
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Results after ten years of field testing low-level radioactive waste forms using lysimeters
The Field Lysimeter Investigations: Low-Level Waste Data Base Development Program is obtaining information on the performance of radioactive waste forms. Ion-exchange resins from a commercial nuclear power station were solidified into waste forms using portland cement and vinyl esterstyrene. These waste forms are being tested to: (a) obtain information on performance of waste forms in typical disposal environments, (b) compare field results with bench leach studies, (c) develop a low-level waste data base for use in performance assessment source term calculations, and (d) apply the DUST computer code to compare predicted cumulative release to actual field data. The program, funded by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), includes observed radionuclide releases from waste forms in field lysimeters. The purpose of this paper is to present the experimental results of two lysimeter arrays over 10 years of operation, and to compare those results to bench test results and to DUST code predicted releases. Further analysis of soil cores taken to define the observed upward migration of radionuclides in one lysimeter is also presented