Migration behavior of Eu(III) in sandy soil in the presence of dissolved organic materials

Migration behavior of Eu(III) in sandy soil in the presence of dissolved or ganic material (DOM) was studied by the column experiments using a constant feed technique. A site specific DOM, isolated from the groundwater at Chal k River in Canada, a reagent humic acid (HA) from Aldrich Co. Ltd. and Suwa nnee River HA and River fulvic acid (FA) from the International Humic Subst ances Society, as reference materials, were used in this study for comparin g their effects on the mobility of Eu(III). Solutions of (EU)-E-152 in the presence of the DOMs at pH 5.5 and ionic strength of 0.01 M NaClO4 were int roduced onto the column (2.5 cm I.D. x 2.5 cm long) packed with the sandy s oil at a constant flow rate of 1.0 mL.min(-1). In the absence of DOM, Eu wa s not detected even after 90 pore volumes were eluted from the column. Euro pium elution was observed, however, when any of the DOMs were present. Maxi mum relative concentrations of Eu were observed in the order: River FA < Gr oundwater DOM < River HA = Aldrich HA. This sequence suggests that differen ces in characteristics of DOM may be reflected in mobility of Eu-DOM comple xes in sandy soil.