Hydrogeochemistry for radioactive waste management

安全、清洁、低碳的能源对国民经济和公民的福祉至关重要。核能可以为实现这一目标作出重大贡献，但必须解决废物管理问题。这个研究项目的重点是与加拿大深地质储存库中放射性废物安全管理有关的地球科学。在地圈中隔离废物需要具有低渗透性岩石的地质系统，这样地下水就不会流动，来自废物的溶质的运输主要是扩散。该研究将开发和应用方法来评估扩散主导的地质系统中的溶质运输，从而协助表征储存库的候选地点。该研究将需要一个实验室实验组件和一个利用现场样品研究孔隙水化学的组件，特别是自然发生的溶质示踪剂，以评估周围地圈中孔隙水和溶质运动的机制和时间尺度。最重要的目标之一是，研究计划的目的是将所有数据整合到一个整体的地球科学模型中，该模型很好地受到数据的约束，这种方法通常被称为地球综合。这提供了一种有效交流研究结果的方法。这项研究计划将有助于大学加强环境科学的教育和研究工作，并将为学生和博士后提供必要的技能和知识，以协助他们在未来安全管理放射性废物。这一方案对加拿大人非常重要，因为它将有助于建立一个深地质储存库来储存用过的核燃料。

Safe, clean energy with a low carbon footprint is of critical importance to the national economy and the well-being of citizens. Nuclear power can make a significant contribution to meeting this goal but the issue of waste management must be addressed. This research program focuses on geoscience in relation to safe management of Canadian radioactive waste in a deep geological repository. Waste isolation in the geosphere requires geologic systems with low permeability rocks such that groundwater does not flow and transport of solutes derived from the waste is dominated by diffusion. The research will develop and apply methods to evaluate solute transport in diffusion dominated geologic systems, thereby assisting with characterization of candidate sites for a repository. The research will require a laboratory experimental component and a component that utilizes samples from field sites to study porewater chemistry, particularly naturally-occurring solute tracers to assess the mechanisms and time scale for porewater and solute movement in the surrounding geosphere. One of the most important goals is that the research program be conducted with the aim of integrating all data into an overall geoscientific model that is well constrained by data - an approach commonly referred to as geosynthesis. This provides a means of effectively communicating the results of the research.This research program will help the university strengthen its educational and research efforts in Environmental Sciences and it will provide students and postdocs with the skills and knowledge necessary for them to assist with the safe management of radioactive waste into the future. This program holds great importance to Canadians as it will contribute to the establishment of a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel.