Archives → 2019 → Vol. 59, No. 4 → pp. 410-418
Article
Comparison of Methods for Assessing Radionuclide Speciation in Soils
Manakhov D.V.1, Emelyanov A.M.2, Karpukhin M.M.1, Lipatov D.N.1, Agapkina G.I.1, Mamikhin S.V.1
1 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Soil Science Faculty, Moscow, Russia. 2 Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia
Abstract
The sequential extraction methods of Pavlotskaya and Tessier for fractionation of technogenic (137Cs and 90Sr) and natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 238U) from soils have been compared. It is shown that to obtain different forms of technogenic radionuclides, both methods give comparable results. Both methods provide a researcher with information on a greater availability of 90Sr to plants and its greater ability to migrate with downward currents of soil solutions as compared to 137Cs. When studying the forms of heavy natural radionuclides using these methods, poorly comparable results were obtained. The Tessier method has shown a greater content of compounds available to plants and a greater content of mobile compounds than the Pavlotskaya method. The reason for this may be the complexity of soil chemistry of such radionuclides as 232Th and 238U. They are polyvalent and highly prone to hydrolysis and complexation. Their behavior is influenced by various carriers. These elements form a wide range of compounds, changing one to another when chemical conditions change, which makes it difficult to accurately compare the composition of their forms extracted by the reagents used in these methods.
Keywords
137Cs, 90Ss, 226Ra, 232Th, 238U, fractionation, sequential extraction, soil
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