Objective
The multidisciplinary project will address key technical issues that must be tackled to support the implementation of planned geological disposal projects for higher-level radioactive wastes across the EU. Our current understanding of the impact of microbial metabolism on the safety of geological repositories remains tenuous, even though microorganisms may have controlling influences on wasteform evolution in situ, multibarrier integrity and ultimately radionuclide migration from the repository. This proposal targets a number of “high urgency” and “high importance” topics identified in the most recent IGD-TP Strategic Research Agenda, focusing specifically on the influence of microbial processes on waste forms and their behavior, and the technical feasibility and long-term performance of repository components. The project will bring together, for the first time, 15 European groups working on the impact of microbial processes on safety cases for geological repositories across the EU, focusing on key questions posed by waste management organisations. The emphasis will be on quantifying specific measureable impacts of microbial activity on safety cases under repository-relevant conditions, thus altering the current view of microbes in repositories and leading to significant refinements of safety case models currently being implemented to evaluate the long-term evolution of radwaste repositories. The integration of society and policy oriented studies in the project will also extend the impact of the project outside the scientific and technical domain, while a study of expert conceptualization, public perception and risk communication concerning microbial influences in geological disposal, will improve awareness of microbial issues on a broader level. The programme will help the EU claim international leadership in the understanding of the impact of microbial processes on geodisposal, and indeed other technological areas pertinent to the exploitation of the subsurface.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesnuclear engineeringnuclear waste management
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistry
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriology
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopyelectron microscopy
- natural scienceschemical sciencesnuclear chemistryradiation chemistry
Programme(s)
- H2020-Euratom - Euratom Main Programme
- H2020-Euratom-1.8. - Ensure availability and use of research infrastructures of pan_european relevance
- H2020-Euratom-1.2. - Contribute to the development of solutions for the management of ultimate nuclear waste
- H2020-Euratom-1.3. - Support the development and sustainability of nuclear competences at Union level
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
169 03 Solna
Sweden
See on map
Participants (14)
435 35 Molnlycke
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
WA3 6AE Warrington
See on map
1160 Bruxelles
See on map
SN2 1FL Swindon
See on map
02150 Espoo
See on map
1015 Lausanne
See on map
46117 Liberec
See on map
250 68 Husinec-rez
See on map
02151 Espoo
See on map
18071 Granada
See on map
01328 Dresden
See on map
27160 Eurajoki
See on map
27160 Eurajoki
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
M13 9PL Manchester
See on map