The Cambric Experiment, under the auspices of the Hydrology/Radionucli
de Migration Project, is measuring the migration of radionuclides from
the site of an old underground nuclear test. Ten years after the 1965
test, a re-entry well (RNM-1) was drilled into the remnant of the exp
losion cavity to obtain core and water samples. Pumping water from a s
atellite well (RNM-2S) 91 m from the cavity subsequently induced an ar
tificial gradient that has allowed soluble radionuclides to migrate fr
om the cavity. Tritium (HTO) has been observed in the RNM-2S water; it
s elution has been well characterized. Other radionuclides have also b
een monitored in water from RNM-2S:Cl-36, Kr-85, I-129, and Ru-106. We
have recently measured Tc-99 at the 10-20 fg/l level in RNM-2S water.
In contrast to the H-3 source term, which is essentially entirely ava
ilable to transport, these results indicate that only approximately 0.
01% of the Tc-99 has escaped from the vitrified rock matrix into the w
ater. The technetium in solution appears to be migrating more slowly t
han the Cl-36 is. Although Tc-99's initial breakthrough is similar to
that for H-3, the migration rate of the Tc-99 center of mass appears t
o slightly exceed that of H-3, perhaps as a result of anion exclusion
effects. All measured Tc-99 concentrations are considerably below limi
ts established for public drinking water.