Long-term leaching behaviour of glasses containing zirconium

Abstract Five borosilicate glasses containing up to 20% zirconium oxide and 10% non-radioactive fission products or lanthanum oxide (which simulates the behaviour of the actinides) were leached in stagnant distilled water at 20 ° C for 2 years. The leaching rates of Na, La, Mn, Cs and Mo varied with time and the chemical composition of the glass from 0.7 to 12, 0.006 to 0.14, 0.8 to 1.2, 0.4 to 0.8 and 8 to 25 mg/m 2 /d respectively. The glasses which showed the beast short-term resistance do not have the best long-term resistance.