1.1.1 Test Method A is a seven-day chemical durability test performed at 90 ± 2°C in a leachant of ASTM-Type I water. The test method is static and conducted in stainless steel vessels. The stainless steel vessels require a gasket to remain leak-tight.² The stainless steel vessels are considered to be “closed system” tests. Test Method A can specifically be used to evaluate whether the chemical durability and elemental release characteristics of nuclear, hazardous, and mixed glass waste forms have been consistently controlled during production. This test method is applicable to radioactive and simulated glass waste forms as defined above.

1.1.2 Test Method B is a durability test that allows testing at various test durations, test temperatures, particle size and masses of glass sample, leachant volumes, and leachant compositions. This test method is static and can be conducted in stainless steel or PFA TFE-fluorocarbon vessels. The stainless steel vessels are considered to be “closed system” while the PFA TFE-fluorocarbon vessels are considered to be “open system” tests. Test Method B can specifically be used to evaluate the relative chemical durability characteristics of homogeneous glasses, phase separated glasses, devitrified glasses, glass ceramics, or multiphase glass ceramic waste forms, or combinations thereof. This test method is applicable to radioactive (nuclear) and mixed, hazardous, and simulated glass waste forms as defined above. Test Method B cannot be used as a consistency test for production of high level radioactive glass waste forms.