THE LEACHING OF RADIOSTRONTIUM AND RADIOCESIUM THROUGH SOILS

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1963 · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1963.03615995002700020016x· OSTI ID:4632994

Miller, J R; Reitemeier, R F

Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse to determine the downward movement of Cs/sup 137/ and Sr/sup 90/ in soils under intensive leaching. The five soils (Norfolk, Ragerstown, Miami, Fort Collins, and Huntley series) selected for the investigation represented a wide range of soil properties, and the leaching treatments consisted of 30 and 300 in. of deionized water, 0.005N NaCl, and 0.005N CaCl/sub 2/. There was little downward movement of Cs/sup 137/ when the soils received the applications of deionized water, NaCl, or CaCl/sub 2/. Radioactive assays of the soil columns showed that 99.6 to 100% of the Cs/sup 134/ was in the surface two layers of the soil columns (average depth 1.4 inches) after 300 inches of leaching. In the leaching experiment with Sr, the CaCl/sub 2/ produced the greatest movement of Sr/sup 89/ and deionized water the least. The maximum distance Sr/sup 89/ penetrated into the soils when leached with 30 inches of water was 1.3 inches, and with 300 inches of water the distance was 4.3 inches. In general, there was more movement of Sr/sup 89/ in the Norfolk soil and least in the Huntley, with the other soils being intermediate. (auth)

• Research Organization: Dept. of Agriculture, Beltsville, Md.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-039279
• OSTI ID: 4632994
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc., Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. Vol. Vol: 27
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CESIUM 134
CESIUM 137
DIFFUSION
DISTRIBUTION
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
LAYERS
LEACHING
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SOILS
SOLUTIONS
STRONTIUM 89
STRONTIUM 91
TESTING
WATER