Reclamation of soils contaminated with radioactive strontium

Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1974 · Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Proc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1975.03615995003900060020x· OSTI ID:7265392

Lagerwerff, J V; Kemper, W D

Evesboro loamy sand, Sassafras sandy loam, and Fort Collins silt loam were treated with a mixed Ca-Sr solution to give about 95 percent saturation with Ca and 5 percent saturation with Sr. Samples of these soils were placed in acrylic cylinders and leached with 0.06N CaCl/sub 2/ to remove Sr. The leachings were mechanically controlled at various rates for different periods of time. Extracting the leached soil samples with 1N HCl yielded residual Sr equal to 0.43, 0.47, and 0 percent of the Sr exchange capacity of the Evesboro, Sassafras, and Fort Collins soils, respectively. There was general agreement between Sr concentrations measured at various depths and those calculated on the basis of the Lapidus-Amundson equation, especially so with heavier soils. The Evesboro and Fort Collins soils were also tagged with carrier-free /sup 85/Sr and, mounted in columns, leached with 0.06N solutions of either CaCl/sub 2/ or SrCl/sub 2/. The removal of /sup 85/Sr was more complete from the Evesboro than from the Fort Collins soil, and from the center than from the edge of the columns. Short-term leaching capability of SrCl/sub 2/ exceeded that of CaCl/sub 2/ where /sup 85/Sr was present in amounts small enough to be adsorbed mostly on specific soil adsorption sites. Where larger amounts of /sup 85/Sr had been adsorbed, Ca was equally effective as Sr in replacing the contaminant.

• Research Organization: Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins
• OSTI ID: 7265392
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Proc.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Proc.; (United States) Vol. 39:6; ISSN SSSAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510300* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CLEANING
CONTAMINATION
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DECONTAMINATION
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LEACHING
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
STRONTIUM 85
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES