Leaching behavior assessment of wastes solidified with hydraulic binders: critical study of diffusional approach

Leaching procedures of wastes solidified with hydraulic binders are expected to allow the assessment of the safety of the long term storage. The Dutch procedures (Availibility Test and Tank Leaching Test) or the Canadian one (close to ANS 16.1) are based on diffusion model and determine the two parameters De and Co from two different experiments : one on crushed materials and the other one on a monolithic sample. The present study, jointly conducted by a Dutch team (ECN) and a French one (POLDEN, LCPAE INSA Lyon), has been funded by RE.CO.R.D. Its two main aims were: - to point out the influence of the chemical properties of the binders and the wastes upon the release of the pollutants. - to define the application field of the diffusion model in order to predict the long term leaching behavior of the solidified products.