The leaching of Sr-90, Zr-95, Ru-106, Cs-134, Cs-137, and Ce-144 by HC
l and HNO3 solutions from variously contaminated homogeneous soils col
lected in 1986 in several regions of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine is s
tudied. The dissolution of radionuclides in 1 and 6 M HCl from soils c
ontaminated by fallout of fuel particles was several times less than f
rom soils contaminated by condensed aerosol particles. The isotopes Zr
-95 and Ce-144 were least soluble. Their extraction depended on [HCl]
and the conditions although it did increase at collection sites furthe
r from the radioactive-release site, reaching 30-50%. The extraction o
f Ru-106 from soil varied from 4-7 to 80%. This is consistent with dif
ferent physicochemical Ru species in fallout. The higher solubility of
Sr-90 and the greater Sr-90/Ce-144 ratio in soils from regions with c
ondensed fallout indicate that it was scattered not only in dispersed
fuel particles but also in another physicochemical form.