Hydrogeochemistry for radioactive waste management

安全、清洁、低碳排放的能源对国民经济和公民福祉至关重要。核电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。该研究计划的重点是与加拿大深层地质储存库中的加拿大放射性废物的安全管理有关的地学。地圈中的废物隔离要求地质系统中有低渗透率的岩石，这样地下水就不会流动，从废物中提取的溶质的运输以扩散为主。这项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移，从而帮助表征储存库的候选地点。这项研究将需要一个实验室实验部分和一个利用实地样本研究孔隙水化学，特别是自然产生的溶质示踪剂的部分，以评估孔隙水和溶质在周围地圈中运动的机制和时间尺度。最重要的目标之一是，开展研究方案的目的是将所有数据整合到一个受数据很好约束的整体地球科学模型中--这一方法通常被称为地球合成。这一研究计划将帮助该大学加强其在环境科学方面的教育和研究努力，并将为学生和博士后提供必要的技能和知识，帮助他们在未来协助安全管理放射性废物。这项计划对加拿大人非常重要，因为它将有助于建立一个用于旧核燃料的深层地质储存库。

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.