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Reclamation of Soils Contaminated with Radioactive Strontium¹

ABSTRACT

Evesboro loamy sand, Sassafras sandy loam, and Fort Collins silt loam were treated with a mixed Ca-Sr solution to give about 95% saturation with Ca and 5% saturation with Sr. Samples of these soils were placed in acrylic cylinders and leached with 0.06N CaCl₂ to remove Sr. The leachings were mechanically controlled at various rates for different periods of time. Extracting the leached soil samples with 1N HCl yielded residual Sr equal to 0.43, 0.47, and 0% of the Sr exchange capacity of the Evesboro, Sassafras, and Fort Collins soils, respectively. There was general agreement between Sr concentrations measured at various depths and those calculated on the basis of the Lapidus-Amundson equation, especially so with heavier soils. The Evesboro and Fort Collins soils were also tagged with carrier-free ⁸⁵Sr and, mounted in columns, leached with 0.06N solutions of either CaCl₂ or SrCl₂. The removal of ⁸⁵Sr was more complete from the Evesboro than from the Fort Collins soil, and from the center than from the edge of the columns. Short-term leaching capability of SrCl₂ exceeded that of CaCl₂ where ⁸⁵Sr was present in amounts small enough to be adsorbed mostly on specific soil adsorption sites. Where larger amounts of ⁸⁵Sr had been adsorbed, Ca was equally effective as Sr in replacing the contaminant.

¹ Contribution from the Agricultural Environmental Quality Institute, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705, and the Agr. Engineering and Agronomy Depts., Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. The work was carried out while both authors were associated with the U.S. Soils Laboratory, Beltsville, Md. They are indebted to Mr. G. T. Biersdorf for technical assistance and to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission for financial support.

² Senior Soil Scientist, ARS, USDA, and Professor of Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, Colo., respectively.

Received for publication February 5, 1975. Accepted for publication August 22, 1975.