Users' guide for the Accelerated Leach Test Computer Program

This report is a step-by-step guide for the Accelerated Leach Test (ALT) Computer Program developed to accompany a new leach test for solidified waste forms. The program is designed to be used as a tool for performing the calculations necessary to analyze leach test data, a modeling program to determine if diffusion is the operating leaching mechanism (and, if not, to indicate other possible mechanisms), and a means to make extrapolations using the diffusion models. The ALT program contains four mathematical models that can be used to represent the data. The leaching mechanisms described by these models are: (1) diffusion through a semi-infinite medium (for low fractional releases), (2) diffusion through a finite cylinder (for high fractional releases), (3) diffusion plus partitioning of the source term, (4) solubility limited leaching. Results are presented as a graph containing the experimental data and the best-fit model curve. Results can also be output as LOTUS 1-2-3 files. 2 refs.