Human and Social Development
Research and Development

Relevant research community, indirectly: the Hungarian public

1. Reforms for a knowledge-based economy are at the heart of the EU’s Lisbon Agenda. While Hungary has a tradition of academic research, the country intends to improve its innovation profile through the further development of key technologies. Among these are technology industries in the fields that are also the focus of the Swiss Contribution Call for Proposals for R&D: life sciences and biotechnology, medical technology, material science and nanotechnology, environmental technology and technology of energy-saving and renewed alternative energy resources. The Swiss Contribution offers an opportunity for Swiss and Hungarian research institutions to cooperate and build partnerships for mutual benefit.
2. Hungary produces about 40% of its electricity with nuclear power. Storage for low and medium-level nuclear waste is available; however, the problems of disposal of high level and long-lived radioactive waste, as well as that of spent fuels, still need to be solved.

Hungarian registration number: SH 7/2/11

The project aims at establishing a competence laboratory for the study of safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste.
The outcomes of the project are insights into the sorption processes of key radionuclides on heterogeneous clay rock samples and identification of the main mineral phases responsible for the uptake of radionuclides, thereby gaining direct information on the safety assessment of the repository rock.

• Up-grading of X-ray microanalytical laboratory and development of new techniques
• Macroscopic (wet chemistry) investigations of key radionuclides in argillaceous rock systems
• Geochemical modelling of experimental sorption data
• Geological drillings in Boda formation
• Various investigations on heterogeneous, clay-rich rock samples to identify the mineral phase responsible for radionuclide uptake
• Beamtime campaigns

• Mature standardised macro- and microscopic methods applicable for testing radionuclide retention /retardation in repository minerals-rocks
• Synergistic know-how transfer between the two partners
• Safety evidence of isolation of radionuclides from biosphere, reduction of public aversion related to safety issues
• Given that Switzerland has selected, similar, argillaceous host rocks, it is expected that the scientific cooperation in this field will be beneficial for both sides.