Association of fallout-derived 137Cs,90Sr and 239,240Pu with natural organic substances in soils

Activity concentrations and associations of fallout-derived Cs, Sr and Pu in soils were investigated. The activity concentrations of 137Cs, 90Sr and 239,240Pu in volcanic ash soil were much higher than those in granite soil. They decreased with increasing depth in the soil. The activity ratios of 239,240Pu/137Cs and 90Sr/137Cs tended to increase slightly with increasing soil depth. Alkali extraction experiments with 0.1 M NaOH solution showed that the percentage activities of the fallout radionuclides found in the organic acid fractions were in the order 239,240Pu>90Sr>137Cs. The concentrations of 137Cs and 239,240Pu reacted with humic fractions were higher than those with fulvic fractions. In contrast to 137Cs and 239,240Pu,90Sr reacted more with fulvic fractions than with humic fractions. These results provide information about the effects of organic substances on the retention and migration of 137Cs,90Sr and 239,240Pu in soils under natural conditions