[Organic forms of artificial radionuclide compounds in soil solutions from natural biogeocenosis]. / Organicheskie formy soedinenii iskusstvennykh radionuklidov v pochvennykh rastvorakh prirodnykh biogeotsenozov.

The date on the distribution of the main radiologicaly important polutants of biosphera (90Sr, 137Cs, 239 + 240Pu, 238Pu, 241Am) over the molecular mass fractions of organic matter in the soil solutions of natural environments are presented. Molecular mass constitution and radionuclide content in the fractions are dependent on radionuclide nature and type of soil and change along the soil profile. The major portion of 238Pu, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am (72-98%) was bound with organic matter in the soil solutions. In the case of organic horizons, these radionuclides were selectively connected with the fractions of high molecular masses (MMw > or = 2000). Radiostrontium is present principally in the fraction of inorganic compounds (19-100%) and in the low molecular mass fraction of organic matter (MMw = 350-500). A selective interaction of 137Cs with organic matter of definite molecular masses was not observed. The radionuclide was found in the "organic" fractions of a wide range of molecular masses (MMw from 350-500 to > or = 18,000) (34-97%) as well as in the fraction of inorganic compounds. The data obtained can provide the theoretical basis for explanation of higher mobility of 90Sr in soil profiles compared to other radionuclides.

Association of Chernobyl-derived 239+240Pu, 241Am, 90Sr and 137Cs with different molecular size fractions of organic matter in the soil solution of two grassland soils.

Radiocesium is normally bound only rather weakly and unspecifically by humic substances, in contrast to the actinides Pu and Am. Recently, however, it was observed that fallout 137Cs in the soil solution from an Of-horizon of a podzol forest soil (slightly decomposed plant material) was associated essentially only with one single size fraction of the humic substances. In deeper soil layers with well humified material (AOh-horizon), radiocesium was associated with all size fractions of the dissolved organic matter (DOM). To examine whether this unexpected behaviour is also observable for DOM isolated from other soils, we determined the association of fallout 137Cs, 90Sr, 238Pu, 239+240Pu and 241Am with various size fractions of DOM from in situ soil solutions isolated from two layers (0-2 cm and 2-5 cm) of two grassland soils (a soddy podzolic soil and a peat soil) within the 10 km zone of the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl (Ukraine). The four size fractions of DOM as obtained by gel filtration of the soil solution were (mean nominal molecular weight in daltons): fraction I: > or = 2000, fraction II: 1300; fraction III: 560, fraction IV: inorganic compounds. The results for the well humified DOM (humus accumulation horizon of podzol, deeper layer of peat soil) showed that Pu and Am are essentially associated with the high molecular weight fractions, while Sr is present only in the 'inorganic' fraction. Radiocesium is found in all the size fractions separated. A quite similar pattern was also found for Pu, Am, and Sr in the soil solution from only slightly decomposed plant material (0-2 cm of peat soil), but not for radiocesium. This radionuclide was again essentially only observable in one single low molecular weight fraction of DOM. The above results thus support our recent observations in the different horizons of a forest podzol mentioned above, even though no reason for the different binding of radiocesium by well humified soil organic matter and by only slightly decomposed plant material can be given at present. The data demonstrate, however, that information on only the total amount of a radionuclide in the soil solution will not be sufficient to interpret or predict its fate adequately in the soil.

Radionuclides in the liquid phase of the forest soils at the Chernobyl accident zone.

The relative content (alpha) of 137Cs (1987-1991), 106Ru, 134Cs, 144Ce (1987) and the chemical speciation of radionuclides in the liquid phase of forest soils at different plots in the 30-km Chernobyl zone were studied. One year after the accident, substantial variations in the alpha-value between the different plots and a variation in alpha along the soil profile were observed due to unequal physico-chemical properties of nuclear fallout and soils. The alpha-value calculated for the total contaminated layer (alpha av) at different plots varied within relatively narrow limits. Between 77 and 97% of 137Cs in soil solution was shown to be included in organic compounds (MMw, 10(2)-10(4) Da), the latter making a major contribution to the radionuclide transport from soil to plant. The alpha-value for 137Cs for all plots in the Chernobyl 30-km zone and the differences in alpha value between plots had a tendency to decrease with time. These data indicate that the process of 137Cs fixation by the soil solid phase was prevalent. Now, the 'soil-soil solution' system is approaching equilibrium for the radionuclide distribution between solid and liquid phases.