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Cesium‐134 as a Tracer to Study Particle Transport Processes within a Small Catchment with a Buffer Zone
Author(s) -
Syversen Nina,
Øygarden Lillian,
Salbu Brit
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2001.3051771x
Subject(s) - tracer , buffer zone , caesium , particle (ecology) , buffer (optical fiber) , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , nuclear physics , physics , geography , geotechnical engineering , engineering , oceanography , telecommunications , archaeology
The purpose of the study is to use soil particles labeled with the radioactive tracer cesium‐134 ( 134 Cs) as a method for studying soil erosion and sedimentation pattern within a small catchment with buffer zones. Cesium is adsorbed to soil particles, and by measuring changes in the 134 Cs activity on the soil surface, erosion, sedimentation, and pathways for particles can be traced. A harrowed area was surface‐contaminated with 134 CsCl, while the buffer zone was left uncontaminated. A grid net in the tilled plot and buffer zone was established for in situ measurements of the 134 Cs activity after major runoff events from October 1993 to May 1996. In addition, 134 Cs activity and suspended solids in runoff were followed during the events. At the end of the experiment, the vertical distribution of 134 Cs in soil profiles and uptake of 134 Cs in vegetation within the buffer zone were determined. At the end of the experiment, about 54% of the applied tracer remained at the soil surface. Surface soil erosion occurred relatively uniformly across the hillslope due to sheet flow. Most of the tracer was transported vertically into the soil profile, probably during the first heavy rainfall 3 wk after application when the soil was newly tilled. Sedimentation occurred in the upper part of the buffer zone. The correlation between suspended particles in runoff and 134 Cs activity was good ( R 2 = 0.76). The study also demonstrates the benefit of utilizing 134 Cs 2+ tracer for investigating transport pathways for contaminated particles within a hillslope system without disturbing the surface soil system.