Sorption of caesium in soils from various regions of Libya

The sorption characteristics of caesium in some common Libyan soils from various regions of Libya were studied using batch techniques. The influences of clay content, contact time and various concentrations of Cs+, K+, and NH4+ in the solution on the sorption ratio for Cs+ were determined by using tracer 134Cs. All experiments were carried out in the presence of a supporting electrolyte (0.01 N CaCl2). An apparent steady state was reached in 4 - 7 days. Important parameters influencing the sorption were clay content, pH, and the concentrations of other cations, in particular K+ and NH4+ which compete with Cs+ for the sorption sites. (orig.)