Thorium and americium solubilities in cement pore water containing superplasticiser compared with thermodynamic calculations

Kitamura, Akira  ; Fujiwara, Kenso ; Mihara, Morihiro  ; Cowper, M.*; Kamei, Gento 

Solubility of thorium and americium in pore water squeezed from a cement paste was investigated by a batch method from oversaturation. The ordinary Portland cement was mixed with deionised water to prepare a cement paste from which the pore water was squeezed following solidification. Another batch of pore water was collected by the same method except that a superplasticiser was added to the deionised water used to prepare the cement paste. The aim was to investigate an effect of superplasticiser on solubility of thorium and americium in the squeezed cement porewaters. The obtained solubility values in the two squeezed pore waters (with and without superplasticiser present) were similar. Thermodynamic calculations were performed with the JAEA-TDB thermodynamic database and compared with the experimental data to verify their applicability. This result showed that superplasticisers after mixing with the cement paste did not have a significant effect on solubility of thorium and americium, and the thermodynamic calculations were applicable in the present system. Size distribution of colloidal species of thorium and americium was also investigated.