Monitoring of bentonite pore water with a probe based on solid-state microsensors

Repositories for the disposal of radioactive waste generally rely on a multi-barrier system to isolate the waste from the biosphere. This multi-barrier system typically comprises the natural geological barrier provided by the repository host rock and its surroundings and an engineered barrier system (EBS). Bentonite is being studied as an appropriated porous material for an EBS to prevent or delay the release and transport of radionuclides towards biosphere. The study of pore water chemistry within bentonite barriers will permit to understand the transport phenomena of radionuclides and obtain a database of the bentonite-water interaction processes. In this work, the measurement of some chemical parameters in bentonite pore water using solid-state microsensors is proposed. Those sensors are well suited for this application since in situ measurements are feasible and they are robust enough for the long periods of time that monitoring is needed in an EBS. A probe containing an ISFET (ion sensitive field effect transistor) for measuring pH, and platinum microelectrodes for measuring conductivity and redox potential was developed, together with the required instrumentation, to study the chemical changes in a test cell with compacted bentonite. Response features of the sensors’ probe and instrumentation performance in synthetic samples with compositions similar to those present in bentonite barriers are reported. Measurements of sensors stability in a test cell are also presented.