Department of Chemistry

Environmental Science and Engineering,
Materials Science and Engineering

Professor, B.S. 1964, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Israel

Ph.D., 1974, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellow, 1974-1976, Purdue University

Summary of Research Interests

Our research group is primarily involved in addressing problems of materials interactions in
tuffaceous environments. Tuff formations characterize the geology of large parts of the
Western United States, including the proposed site for a geologic repository for spent nuclear
fuel and high-level nuclear wastes. We are studying the evolution of various types of groundwater in such
environments and the interaction of resulting water compositions with materials proposed for use in waste
packages in the presence of minerals present in tuff formations or deposited during the evolution of the groundwater.
Our studies include:

* Processes in nonlithophysal and lithophysal tuffaceous environments

* Interactions of groundwater in tuffaceous environments with R52400 and N06022

* Effects of the presence of tuff components (e.g., alkali feldspars, silica polymorphs) and
groundwater residues (e.g., selenite, halite) on such interactions

• Selected Publications:

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, M.A. Adel-Hadadi, C.R. Marks, J.A. Gorman and
  A. Barkatt, "Effects of Fluoride and Chloride Ions on Corrosion of Titanium Grade 7 in
  Concentrated Groundwater", Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. XXV,
  eds. B.P. McGrail and G.A. Cragnolino, Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA, 2002,
  pp. 77-82.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, M.A. Adel-Hadadi, C.R. Marks, J.A. Gorman and
  A. Barkatt, "Effects of Heavy Metal Ions on Corrosion of Titanium Grade 7 in Concentrated
  Groundwater", Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. XXV, eds.
  B.P. McGrail and G.A. Cragnolino, Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA, 2002,pp. 83-88.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, M.A. Adel-Hadadi, C.R. Marks, J.A. Gorman and
  A. Barkatt, "Effects of Lead, Mercury and Reduced Sulfur Species on Corrosion of Alloy 22
  in Basic and Acidified Concentrated Groundwater", Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste
  Management, Vol. XXV, eds. B.P. McGrail and G.A. Cragnolino, Materials Research
  Society, Pittsburgh, PA, 2002, pp. 89-95.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, M.A. Adel-Hadadi, A. Barkatt, C.R. Marks and J.A.
  Gorman, "Effects of Potentially Aggressive Species on Corrosion of UNS N06022 under
  Highly Acidic and Basic Conditions", Corrosion/2002, National Association of Corrosion
  Engineers, Houston, TX, 2002, Paper No. 02551.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, M.A. Adel-Hadadi, A. Barkatt, C.R. Marks and J.A.
  Gorman, "Corrosion of Titanium Grade 7 in Solutions Containing Fluoride and Chloride
  Salts", Corrosion/2002, National Association of Corrosion Engineers, Houston, TX, 2002,
  Paper No. 02552.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, M. A. Adel-Hadadi, A. Barkatt, C.R. Marks and
  J.A. Gorman, "Effects of Fluoride and Other Anions on the Corrosion of Alloy C-22",
  Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. XXVI, Materials Research Society,
  Pittsburgh, PA, 2003.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, D.S. Wong, M. A. Adel-Hadadi, A. Barkatt, C.R. Marks
  and J.A. Gorman, "Effects of Fluoride and Chloride on Corrosion of Titanium-7",
  Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. XXVI, Materials Research Society,
  Pittsburgh, PA, 2003.

  A.L. Pulvirenti, K.M. Needham, E. Bishop, M. A. Adel-Hadadi, A. Barkatt, C.R. Marks
  and J.A. Gorman, "Effects of Differential Volatilization and Local Geometry on
  Groundwater Chemistry", Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Vol. XXVI,
  Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003.