ISSN:
1573-2932
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
Notes:
Abstract A study of the downward movement of 137Cs in an undisturbed forest soil is presented. Seasonal variations and depth profiles of 137Cs activities were measured in seepage water, which is the transport medium for the downward movement of anthropogenic substances in soils. Furthermore the correlation of 137Cs mobilization and production of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was investigated. Seasonal variations of both 137Cs and DOC fluxes in the seepage water in a depth of 5 cm depth were observed, where the maximum fluxes in the summer months were about one order of magnitude higher than the minimum fluxes in the winter months. 137Cs fluxes are found to be correlated with DOC fluxes with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.63, and both are highly correlated with soil temperature. This indicates that cesium is bound to soil organic material. The production of DOC is controlled by microbial decomposition of soil organic matter and we assume that this holds true for the 137Cs release as well. The actual transport velocity (0.2 ± 0.14 mm/a) of 137Cs (calculated by the weighed mean of 137Cs concentration in the seepage water and the total 137Cs content of the soil) is about one order of magnitude less than the mean transport velocity (1.2 ± 0.3 mm/a) over the past 25 years (calculated from the 137Cs depth profile). It is possible that the transport velocity of 137Cs in undisturbed soils decreases with time as it binds to aged organic material which is less easily decomposable than fresh organic material.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00157418
