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Technetium-99m Transport and Immobilisation in Porous Media: Development of a Novel Nuclear Imaging Technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 February 2013

Claire L. Corkhill ,
Jonathan W. Bridge ,
Philip Hillel ,
Laura J. Gardner ,
Steven A. Banwart  and
Neil C. Hyatt
Claire L. Corkhill
Affiliation:
The Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, UK.
Jonathan W. Bridge
Affiliation:
The Centre for Engineering Sustainability, School of Engineering, University of Liverpool, UK. Kroto Research Institute, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, UK.
Philip Hillel
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Laura J. Gardner
Affiliation:
The Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, UK.
Steven A. Banwart
Affiliation:
Kroto Research Institute, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, UK.
Neil C. Hyatt
Affiliation:
The Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, UK.
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Abstract

Technetium-99, a β-emitting radioactive fission product of 235U, formed in nuclear reactors, presents a major challenge to nuclear waste disposal strategies. Its long half-life (2.1 x 105 years) and high solubility under oxic conditions as the pertechnetate anion [Tc(VII)O4] is particularly problematic for long-term disposal of radioactive waste in geological repositories. In this study, we demonstrate a novel technique for quantifying the transport and immobilisation of technetium-99m, a γ-emitting metastable isomer of technetium-99 commonly used in medical imaging. A standard medical gamma camera was used for non-invasive quantitative imaging of technetium-99m during co-advection through quartz sand and various cementitious materials commonly used in nuclear waste disposal strategies. Spatial moments analysis of the resulting 99mTc plume provided information about the relative changes in mass distribution of the radionuclide in the various test materials. 99mTc advected through quartz sand demonstrated typical conservative behaviour, while transport through the cementitious materials produced a significant reduction in radionuclide centre of mass transport velocity over time. Gamma camera imaging has proven an effective tool for helping to understand the factors which control the migration of radionuclides for surface, near-surface and deep geological disposal of nuclear waste.

Keywords

geologicnuclear materialswaste management
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1518: Symposium LL – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXVI , 2012 , pp. 123 - 129
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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