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Physiochemical behaviors of radiocesium in a calciferous, post-detonation environment

Hoffman, Mary Kathryn
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1584015906269554

Abstract Details

2020, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Chemistry.
Clay minerals have a high affinity for cesium that can impact environmental mobility of radiocesium. Although calciferous soils present on coral atolls in the Marshall Islands have very little clay mineral content, sorption of radiocesium is thought to be dominated by an organic phase that may explain why plant uptake of radiocesium is enhanced compared to continental soils with greater clay fractions. This research characterizes the interaction between calciferous soils and radiocesium, a long-lived fission product that was released into the atmospheric during weapons testing from 1946 to 1958. The physical distribution, sorption behavior and geochemical fractionation of cesium in the soil were analyzed using a combination of radiometric counting, micro-analytical, and environmental geochemistry techniques. Desorption experiments indicated most radiocesium sorbs irreversibly to the Marshall Islands soil matrix. A sequential extraction of radiocesium from the soil was also performed to determine the fractionation of radiocesium among operationally defined phases of soil. The largest fraction of radiocesium was extracted with strong acid, which dissolves the water insoluble or inorganic mineral phase of soil. These results are consistent with irreversible sorption of cesium to Marshall Islands soil.
Peng Zhang, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
William Heineman, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Henry Spitz, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Ryan White, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
137 p.
Geochemistry
Radiocesium; Sequential Extraction; Cesium sorption; Marshall Islands; calciferous soil; cesium-137

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hoffman, M. K. (2020). Physiochemical behaviors of radiocesium in a calciferous, post-detonation environment [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1584015906269554

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hoffman, Mary. Physiochemical behaviors of radiocesium in a calciferous, post-detonation environment. 2020. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1584015906269554.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hoffman, Mary. "Physiochemical behaviors of radiocesium in a calciferous, post-detonation environment." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1584015906269554

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1584015906269554
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.