Physicochemical forms of radionuclides from the Chernobyl fallout in different types of forest litter

The effects of moisture content in forest litters on the migration and phys icochemical transformation of Sr-90 and Cs134+137 from the Chernobyl fallou t were studied experimentally. The results showed that a flow of mobile rad ionuclides forms out of decaying litters and increases proportionally to th e degree of moistening. Fixed forms of Sr-90 in litters are transformed wit h time into mobile compounds, whereas such forms of Cs134+137 become stabil ized. Radionuclides released from litters enter the soil, enriching it with their mobile physicochemical forms.