Radiocobalt interaction with fresh water sediments and their components

The knowledge is reviewed of the rules of adsorption and desorption of radiocobalt and stable cobalt in the system water phase/fresh water sediment or its component. The effects are assessed of pH value and the composition of the water phase, reduction-oxidation conditions, cobalt concentration, the water phase/solid phase volume ratio, the type, composition and treatment of the solid phase, and the duration of contact of the water and solid phases. The opinions are summed up of various authors on the cobalt adsorption mechanism. (author)