Estimation of soil-soil solution distribution coefficient of radiostrontium using soil properties

We propose a new approach for estimation of soil-soil solution distribution coefficient (Kd) of radiostrontium using some selected soil properties. We used 142 Japanese agricultural soil samples (35 Andosol, 25 Cambisol, 77 Fluvisol, and 5 others) for which Sr-Kd values had been determined by a batch sorption test and listed in our database. Spearman's rank correlation test was carried out to investigate correlations between Sr-Kd values and soil properties. Electrical conductivity and water soluble Ca had good correlations with Sr-Kd values for all soil groups. Then, we found a high correlation between the ratio of exchangeable Ca to Ca concentration in water soluble fraction and Sr-Kd values with correlation coefficient R=0.72. This pointed us toward a relatively easy way to estimate Sr-Kd values