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Vertical distribution and bioavailability of 137 Cs in organic and mineral soils
Author(s) -
KruseIrmer Sven,
Giani Luise
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.200321132
Subject(s) - soil water , humus , peat , environmental chemistry , organic matter , soil horizon , chemistry , soil science , bioavailability , environmental science , ecology , organic chemistry , biology , bioinformatics
The vertical distribution and bioavailability of 137 Cs in Histosols and mineral soils with different physicochemical properties from the southeast of Bavaria (Germany) more than ten years after the Chernobyl accident were the focus of this study. The vertical distribution of 137 Cs was low in the investigated soils. About 85–98 % of the total 137 Cs was located in the upper 10 cm of the mineral soils. Slightly higher 137 Cs percentages were observed in deeper soil layers of the peat soils. Although the organic matter is assumed to enhance 137 Cs mobility in soils, 137 Cs was also located in the upper 10 cm of the peat soils (73–85 %). The highest 137 Cs‐activities were found in the humus layers of forest soils, where 45–93 % of the total 137 Cs soil inventories were observed. To determine the bioavailability of radiocesium, the soil‐to‐plant transfer of 137 Cs and additionally added 134 Cs was investigated under controlled conditions. The results revealed that the 134+137 Cs soil‐to‐plant transfer factors as well as the percentages of NH 4 ‐exchangeable 134+137 Cs were much higher for the peat soils and humus layers than for the mineral soils. Nevertheless, the migration of 137 Cs from the humus layers to the underlying soils was low. Considering the high bioavailability and low migration of radiocesium in the humus layers, it is suggested that radiocesium is involved in a shortcut element cycle in the system humus layer‐plant uptake‐litter. Furthermore, the organic matter has to be taken into account for radiocesium immobilization.