This Technical Specification is applicable to determine the leaching behaviour of inorganic constituents from granular waste (without or with size reduction (see 6.2)). The waste body is subjected to percolation with water as a function of liquid to solid ratio under specified percolation conditions. The waste is leached under hydraulically dynamic conditions. The method is a once-through column leaching test and the test results establish the distinction between different release patterns, for instance wash-out and release under the influence of interaction with the matrix, when approaching local equilibrium between waste and leachant.
NOTE 1 The mentioned specified percolation conditions are arbitrary and are not simulating a specific scenario.
NOTE 2 Waste materials that show a saturated hydraulic conductivity between 10-7 m/s and 10-8 m/s can be subjected to this test, but it can be difficult to maintain the imposed flow rate. If a waste shows a saturated hydraulic conductivity below 10-8 m/s, the test should not be carried out. (See C.5 for a definition of ‘hydraulic conductivity’.)
NOTE 3 This procedure is generally not applicable to biologically degrading materials and materials reacting with the leachant, leading, for example, to excessive gas emission or excessive heat release.
NOTE 4 This procedure is applicable to materials showing solidification in the column, if the final hydraulic conductivity is within the specified range (see NOTE 1).