Retention of 10Be, 137Cs and 210Pbxs in soils: Impact of physico-chemical characteristics

Bearing phases; Cosmogenic nuclides; Fallout; Radionuclides; Tracers; Transfers in soils; Budget control; Chemical properties; Degradation; Forestry; Iron oxides; Kaolinite; Leaching; Organic carbon; Particle size; Particle size analysis; Radioactive tracers; Soil moisture; Solute transport; Different time scale; Mineralogical analysis; Particulate organic matters; Physicochemical characteristics; Radionuclide activity; Scientific literature; Soil physico-chemical properties; Radioisotopes; Andosol; Ferralsol

Abstract :

[en] The 10Be, 137Cs and 210Pbxs radionuclide fallout has been used for the last several decades to quantify various soil and geomorphological processes on different time scales. However, a basic assumption of the studies relying on these radionuclides is that they have a strong affinity for soil particles and that their mobility in soil solution and losses through leaching can be neglected. Another area of the scientific literature deals with the radionuclide mobility in soils as solute. In that context, the objective of this work is to determine the pedological conditions under which this hypothesis of poor solute mobility of radionuclides is valid. To this end, meteoric 10Be, 137Cs and 210Pbxs concentrations were measured in six soil profiles representative of 5 soil types contrasted in terms of physico-chemical properties: an Andosol and a Luvisol under pasture, a Ferralsol and a Leptosol under forest and a Podzol both under forest and cultivation. The main soil properties (soil pH, organic carbon (OC) content, particle size distribution and specific extractions) were measured. The <2 µm fraction was extracted to measure radionuclide activities and undertake mineralogical analysis. Results show that meteoric 10Be is significantly leached from soils whose pHw is lower than 5, regardless of the <2 µm particle proportion and Fe oxides content. Significant 137Cs losses through leaching can generally be neglected except in sandy soils whose pHw is lower than 4.5 (Podzol). No significant 210Pbxs losses were evidenced. For the three radionuclides considered, the major part of their budget is associated with the <2 µm fraction. However, concerning the Andosol, the proportion of radionuclide budget associated with the <2 µm fraction represents <40%. With regards to the forested Podzol, two thirds of the 210Pbxs budget is associated with the litter. Well-crystallized Fe oxides, illite and interlayered clay minerals as well as allophane, imogolite and other Al-phases in the Andosol and kaolinite in highly weathered acidic soils (Ferralsol) were found to efficiently retain 10Be. Finally, litter degradation and the content of large particulate organic matter were shown to control 210Pbxs concentrations. As expected, our results highlight strong contrasts in the retention of the considered isotopes according to soil physico-chemical properties. Accordingly, their mobility and losses through solute transport should be considered when using them for quantifying solid transport and future mass transport models must be improved, in particular through the addition of a solute transfer term. Otherwise, soil redistribution might be strongly overestimated for Podzols, Ferralsols and also most probably for other acidic tropical soil types (Nitisols, Acrisols, Plinthisols). © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

Disciplines :

Environmental sciences & ecology

Author, co-author :

de Tombeur, Félix ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Echanges Eau - Sol - Plantes

Cornu, S.; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Collège de France, IRD, INRA, CEREGE, Aix en Provence, 13545, France

Bourlès, D.; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Collège de France, IRD, INRA, CEREGE, Aix en Provence, 13545, France

Duvivier, A.; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Collège de France, IRD, INRA, CEREGE, Aix en Provence, 13545, France

Pupier, J.; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Collège de France, IRD, INRA, CEREGE, Aix en Provence, 13545, France

ASTER, T.; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Collège de France, IRD, INRA, CEREGE, Aix en Provence, 13545, France

Brossard, M.; IRD, UMR 210 Eco&Sols (Cirad, INRA, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro), BP 90165, Guyane cedex, 97323, France

Evrard, O.; Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE/IPSL), UMR 8212 (CEA-CNRS-UVSQ), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, 91191, France

Language :

English

Title :

Retention of 10Be, 137Cs and 210Pbxs in soils: Impact of physico-chemical characteristics

Publication date :

May 2020

Journal title :

Geoderma

ISSN :

0016-7061

eISSN :

1872-6259

Publisher :

Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Volume :

367

Pages :

114242

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

ANR - Agence Nationale de la Recherche
IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

Available on ORBi :

since 16 February 2022

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