Migration behavior of 85Sr under discontinuous flow condition

In order to study the migration behavior of 85Sr under discontinuous water-flow condition in a natural aerated zone, the migration experiments were carried out by a column method, in which deionized water was intermittently fed into a sandy soil layer traced with 85Sr. The migration velocity of cationic 85Sr was increased when the times of flow interruption increased. This was probably attributed to the decrease in the distribution coefficient of 85Sr with increasing concentration of Ca2+ which was eluted from the soil into interstitial water during the interrupted period. Values of the distribution coefficient were estimated from the concentration of coexistent Ca2+ in effluent. The reducing tendency for distribution coefficient with the interruption times agreed well between the estimated values and the values determined from the migration velocity of 85Sr in the soil layer. (author)