Migration of 134Cs in unsaturated soils at a site in Egypt

To demonstrate the safety performance assessment for the disposal of Cs-134 radionuclide in a geological formation, several investigations were required to calculate the possible release of radionuclides into groundwater. This research examined the sorption behavior of radioactive cesium (Cs-134) in natural groundwater. Cesium chloride (10(-6) to 10(-2) mol.l(-1)) was used as a carrier, traced with Cs-134 radionuclide. Distribution coefficients of radiocesium for sorption and desorption were measured on natural soil samples of different grain size fractions (greater than or equal to400 to greater than or equal to36 mum). Cesium sorption and desorption were found reversible at cesium chloride concentrations between 10(-6) mol.l(-1) to less than 10(-3) mol.l(-1). Sequential extraction procedures showed that the cesium sorption on soils were of various types: those easily desorbed, ion-exchanged, bound to carbonate, iron oxides, and organic matter.