Interaction of radium-226 with fulvic acid extracted from Malaysian peat soil at neutral pH

A study on the interaction of radium-226 with fulvic acid at neutral pH was carried out. Fulvic acid was extracted from peat soil obtained from four different locations in Malaysia by means of acid-base extraction method. A combination of separation and determination techniques was employed in order to evaluate the interaction behavior and potential. Separation of fulvic acid-bound radium-226 and free radium-226 was carried out by size exclusion chromatography technique using a Sephadex gel column. Determination of radium-226 and FA concentration was performed using a gamma spectrometer and a UV-visible spectrophotometer respectively. Data obtained was utilized in examining the binding behavior and binding potential of radium-226 with fulvic acid. Fulvic acid existed as both precipitated and solubilized forms at neutral pH in the presence of aluminium ions. Approximately 90% of radium-226 was bound with both forms of fulvic acid. (Author)