High-burnup (<50 MWd/kgU) spent fuel samples of various sizes were exposed to NaCl solutions under static, anaerobic and reducing conditions. The accumulated corrosion time was about 200 days. Gas phase and leach solutions were analyzed. By dissolving mm sized fragments in large volumes of solution, saturation effects were avoided and upper limits for intrinsic dissolution rates of about 5-20 mg/(m2d) were measured. Surface area normalized reaction rates were significantly lower when using fine grained fuel powder (estimated sample surface area to solution volume ratio S/V ca. 3000 m-1), indicating saturation effects. The maximum concentrations of Pu and Am in the tests are close to reported solubility limited concentrations in pure 5m NaCl solutions in the absence of radiolysis effects. The presence of iron effectively reduces the solution concentration of all measured radionuclides (except Cs).
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