Distribution and retention of 137Cs in sediments at the Hanford Site, Washington

Environ Sci Technol. 2001 Sep 1;35(17):3433-41. doi: 10.1021/es0018116.

Abstract

137Cesium and other contaminants have leaked from single-shell storage tanks (SSTs) into coarse-textured, relatively unweathered unconsolidated sediments. Contaminated sediments were retrieved from beneath a leaky SST to investigate the distribution of adsorbed 137Cs+ across different sediment size fractions. All fractions contained mica (biotite, muscovite, vermiculatized biotite), quartz, and plagioclase along with smectite and kaolinite in the clay-size fraction. A phosphor-plate autoradiograph method was used to identify particular sediment particles responsible for retaining 137Cs+. The Cs-bearing particles were found to be individual mica flakes or agglomerated smectite, mica, quartz, and plagioclase. Of these, only the micaceous component was capable of sorbing Cs+ strongly. Sorbed 137Cs+ could not be significantly removed from sediments by leaching with dithionite citrate buffer or KOH, but a fraction of the sorbed 137Cs+ (5-22%) was desorbable with solutions containing an excess of Rb+. The small amount of 137Cs+ that might be mobilized by migrating fluids in the future would likely sorb to nearby micaceous clasts in downgradient sediments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Cesium Radioisotopes / analysis
  • Clay
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Gastrointestinal Agents / chemistry
  • Geologic Sediments
  • Hazardous Waste*
  • Kaolin / chemistry
  • Silicates*
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
  • Washington

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Cesium Radioisotopes
  • Gastrointestinal Agents
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Silicates
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Kaolin
  • Smectite
  • Clay