Capillary zone electrophoresis to study the humic fraction in organic soils and its relationship with radiocaesium mobility

Abstract

Humic acids and associated radionuclides were extracted from several soil samples with a significant organic matter content, such as peaty soils and forest soil layers. Extractions were made using two alkaline solutions (Na4P2O7 0.1 mol·1−1 and NaOH 0.1 mol·1−1 under N2). The humic acid content in the extract was determined by the capillary zone electrophoresis technique (CZE) and associated radiocaseium was determined by gamma spectrometry. After analizing a large number of samples and studying the relationship between humic acid and organic matter content it was possible to conclude that the CZE technique may be a good alternative to classical techniques in humic acid determinations, with NaOH extractions leading to higher results than Na4P2O7. Furthermore, the quantification of the radiocaseium desorbed by applying different extractant reagents (NaOH, Na4P2O7, NH4AcO and CaCl2) showed that there may be some organic matter-radionuclide interations, other than those originated by humic acids. which may govern radionuclide retention in soils with a high content of organic matter.