Bioavailability and Molecular Structure of Organic Carbon in Bentonite

加拿大核废料管理组织（NWMO）的任务是制定一项长期储存加拿大用过核燃料的计划。这包括开发一种用于储存乏燃料束的工程屏障系统，该系统由在地下500米的深层地质储藏库（DGR）内用膨润土粘土包装的乏燃料容器组成。膨润土粘土具有很高的膨胀和保留任何可能泄漏的放射性核苷酸的亲和力。膨润土粘土还含有天然有机物质，可能支持DGR中的微生物活动，并导致使用过的燃料容器腐蚀。因此，有必要对天然有机质的化学性质和生物利用度进行详细的研究。NWMO和多伦多大学的研究人员提出的研究将调查膨润土中的有机质是如何随着压实、温度、盐度、辐射而改变的，以及膨润土中的非均质有机质是如何变化的。将使用高度复杂的分析工具来评估通过这些模拟的DGR条件如何改变有机物化学。这些资料将用于通知和进一步制订加拿大核废料储存的长期计划。一项关于加拿大用过核燃料的长期和可持续计划将确保安全处置这种废物，并为所有加拿大人提供直接利益。

The Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is tasked with developing a plan for the long-term storage of Canada's used nuclear fuel. This includes the development of an engineered barrier system for the storage of used fuel bundles that consists of used fuel containers packed in bentonite clay within a deep geologic repository (DGR) 500m below ground. Bentonite clay has a high affinity to swell and to retain any radionucleotides that may leak. Bentonite clay also contains natural organic matter which may support microbial activity in a DGR and result in corrosion of the used fuel containers. Therefore, a detailed investigation of natural organic matter chemistry and bioavailability is needed. The proposed research between the NWMO and University of Toronto researchers will investigate how organic matter in bentonite may be altered with: compaction, temperature, salinity, radiation, and how heterogeneous organic matter in bentonite may be. Highly sophisticated analytical tools will be used to assess how organic matter chemistry may be altered through these simulated DGR conditions. This information will be used to inform and further develop the long-term plan for Canada's nuclear waste storage. A long-term and sustainable plan for Canada's used nuclear fuel will ensure the safe disposal of this waste and provide a direct benefit to all Canadians.