Sorption of manganese, cobalt, zinc, strontium, and cesium onto agricultural soils: Statistical analysis on effects of soil properties

Abstract

In this study, distribution coefficients (Kds) of five radionuclides (54Mn, 60Co, 65Zn, 85Sr, 137Cs) were measured by a batch technique for 36 agricultural soils (paddy and upland soils) collected in Japan. Twelve properties of the soils and measured Kdss were examined for their probability distributions. Soil properties showed log-normal type distributions, except pH(H2O), and total calcium and potassium contents for which distributions were normal. The Kds distributions were also lognormal types except for 54Mn-Kds- No significant difference in soil Kds was found between upland and paddy soils. The Kds were analyzed for correlations with each soil property. The combinations showing the highest correlation were: the exchangeable calcium for 54Mn and 60Co; the water content for 65Zn; the cation exchange capacity for 85Sr; and the exchangeable potassium for 137Cs, For 54Mn and 60Co, their Kds also correlated with supernatant pH. Only 85Sr-Kds showed an adequate correlation with the value if the CEC divided by the supernatant EC. For the other four nuclides, some other mechanisms besides ion exchange seemed to be working. © 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers.