Abstract
Purpose
There was a large release of radio-cesium (134Cs and 137Cs) to the atmosphere during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, and contaminated the soil, over a vast area, due to fallout activity. Therefore, studies on the behaviour of radio-cesium especially migration in soil and its retention on soil particles is very important for external dose assessment and root uptake.
Materials and methods
We have determined the sorption coefficient (K d) for Cs using the laboratory batch method in soil samples collected from a contaminated area affected by the FDNPP accident, and the effect of various soil parameters on the K d value has been studied.
Results and discussion
We have noticed that Cs sorption is mostly influenced by cation exchange process and Cs is sorbed on the surface of clay particles. From vertical depth profile of Cs in soil, it is found that most of it is retained on the top layer within a 5-cm thickness.
Conclusions
Sequential extraction of soil using various reagents may be helpful to understand better the mechanism of Cs retention.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (P11503). SM is thankful to the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for the award of postdoctoral fellowship.
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Mishra, S., Arae, H., Sorimachi, A. et al. Distribution and retention of Cs radioisotopes in soil affected by Fukushima nuclear plant accident. J Soils Sediments 15, 374–380 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0985-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0985-2