Parameters Affecting ¹³⁷ Cs Migration within Soil Profile

Several studies have been carried out on the adsorption, distribution and migration of ¹³⁷ Cs within soil profile in the vicinity of the Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Egypt, in addition to Ismailia Canal areas. The soil physicoch emical and mineralogical characteristics were carried out and indicated that the soil samples consist mainly of sand (quartz) and silt fractions. The kinetics of cesium adsorption and its related adsorption isotherms for the tested soils were also studied. The sorption of ¹³⁷ Cs by soil minerals markedly affects its migration rate. The natural background of both locations under study indicated that the ¹³'7 Cs concentration in the reactor site were found to be 30.82 Bq/kg while that at the canal site was found to be 0.87 Bq/kg. ¹³⁷ Cs in the reactor site may be originated from the fallout and from the external contamination which affected the background level. The vertical distribution and the migration rate of ¹³⁷ Cs have been studied for the soil profiles in both locations. These rates were found to be 0.056 and 0.031 cm/year for the reactor and canal site respectively