An improved through-discharge electromigration method for determining the migration parameters of nuclides in bentonite

In order to measure the migration parameters of nuclides in bentonite more conveniently, an improved through-discharge electromigration method was developed. In this method, the nuclides first were driven by the electric field to migrate through the bentonite column fast, then discharged with the carrier fluid, and finally collected automatically for measurement. Meanwhile, based on the analysis of the important process in the method, the solution equation for deriving the migration parameters of nuclides was established. Furthermore, two kinds of through-discharge electromigration devices were designed in term of the different nuclide sorption behaviors onto the bentonite, and the electromigration breakthrough curves of ⁸⁸Sr and ²³⁹Pu in bentonite were obtained for the first time. The result indicated that the improved electromigration technology was quite efficient for acquiring the migration parameters of ⁸⁸Sr with weak adsorption capacity. However, it was found that more experimental data were needed to support the analysis of ²³⁹Pu migration behavior because of its complex electrochemistry reaction with bentonite.