Soil sorption of caesium modelled by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations Original Research Article

The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm equations were used to model Cs sorption in 6 Welsh soils. The pH (in water), of the soils ranged from 3.5 to 6.5, and the estimated organic matter (determined by loss-on-ignition) ranged from 4.8% to 46%. According to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, highest sorption maxima,b, were displayed by the loams at 102–204 mg kg−1, compared with organic soils at 37–86 mg kg−1. Subsoil horizons (15–30 cm depth) did not always display higher sorption maxima than their topsoil (0–15 cm depth) counterparts. Where an improved fit to the Freundlich model was found over the Langmuir model, it was assumed that either concurrent desorption of other species, or bond-energy heterogeneity in the substrate, were significant for these soils.