Radionuclides distribution and its sorption behavior in the Kara sea bottom sediments surface layer

Abstract

The sorption characteristics of the Kara sea bottom sediments were investigated. The sediments were collected during scientific expedition of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh (Cruise AMK-66). The mineral and fraction composition of sediments was determined. It has been found that 137Cs sorbed predominantly by an ion exchange mechanism because of the clay minerals presence in the sediments. At the same time, 243Am and 90Sr sorbed from seawater by the surface complexation mechanism. The sorption kinetics for 243Am was established: about 20 hours, 137Cs: 2 hours, 90Sr: less than an hour. The sorption isotherms shows Cs and Am in experiments on marine and distilled water are described by the Henry equation. The Sr behavior in deionized water is described by the Langmuir equation, in the case of sea water, by the Freundlich equation.