Abstract
This study was performed in order to determine-nine if the surface characteristics of cement-based waste forms were different than those of the bulk material. This was done as a prelude to the potential development of an accelerated leach test. Leaching of solidified waste forms took place for a ninety day period. Parameters such as surface irregularities, aggregate size, surface-to-volume ratio, and pore structure were examined to better understand the effects of the surface leaching. Results indicated that there were two items that affected the surface leaching. The first was an increased concentration of the waste material on the surface of the waste form. The second was that the surface irregularities of the waste forms resulted in a greater surface area than was calculated. This allowed more leachate to come into contact with the surface of the waste form allowing more waste material to be leached. Future work should include the study of other parameters that may affect the surface of the waste form, such as cement chemistry and water-to-cement ratio and the development of a better mathematical model to describe the behavior of the leaching.
Pavlonnis, George (1998). Surface effects of cement-based solidified waste forms. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1998 -THESIS -P38.