Prediction of solid/liquid distribution coefficients of radiocaesium in soils and sediments. Part one: a simplified procedure for the solid phase characterisation

A comparative study is presented on the quantitative characterisation procedures of soils and sediments in terms of specific radiocaesium sorption potentials obtained during elaborate procedures, which include masking techniques, and a simplified protocol relying on a single KD137Csmeasurement. The elaborate and simple procedures were compared for some 120 soils and sediments of widely different origin, covering some three orders of magnitude in specific sorption capacities. The excellent agreement between both procedures provides the basis for a new and simple characterisation procedure which can be used in routine application.