Laboratory works on Romanian environmental site

Contact: Todd Hanson, tahanson@lanl.gov, (505) 665-2085

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., July 18, 2002 -- Researchers from the National Nuclear Security Administration's Los Alamos National Laboratory are collaborating with scientists from the Romanian Institute of Nuclear Research to assist the Romanian government in establishing an effective shallow-land disposal site for the disposition of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The proposed disposal site is located near the town of Cernavoda along the Danube River, in southeastern Romania.

Romanian scientists Daniela Diaconu and Crina Bacur visited Los Alamos in March under the "Sister Laboratory" program to apply computer models that simulate the contaminant transport processes expected to occur in the portion of the Romanian aquifer under study. The studies are used to determine how effective the proposed waste site will be in isolating the radioactive wastes from the population and environment. While at the Laboratory, the Romanian group also ran experiments to determine transport properties of radioactive wastes through their native soils and rocks, and gathered technical information on potential methods for mitigating the spread of environmental contamination.

According to Greg Valentine, leader of the Laboratory's Hydrology, Geochemistry and Geology group, the Romanian collaborative work is one of the ways in which Los Alamos contributes to solving global environmental issues. "It's actually a relatively small effort on our side," said Valentine, "but it makes a world of difference to the collaborators since they have limited resources."

The collaboration continued this summer with a visit by Los Alamos scientists George Zyvoloski and Ioana Anghe to Romania to follow up on numerical modeling and experimental work. Other Laboratory researchers involved in the Romanian project include: Kay Birdsell, Doug Ware, Marc Witkowski, Terry Miller and Dennis Newell.

The Romanian work is part of a larger effort by the DOE/NNSA to provide bilateral technical cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy for developing nations. The NNSA's "Sister Laboratory" program establishes a direct line of communication between U.S. scientists and the nuclear research and scientific communities in participating countries. According to Ken Apt, Sister Laboratory Program Director, Laboratory scientists are working in projects similar to the Romania effort with counterpart organizations in Peru, Mexico and Egypt to solve related problems in radioactive waste disposal for those nations.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA and its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, developing technical solutions to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.