摘要:
The contamination of parts of the food chain such as soils, water supplies and animal fodder with radiocaesium has long been a topic of concern. Methods of fixing radiocaesium are described which include the use of a 2-1 layer phyllosilicate which is at least partly exchanged with potassium, caesium, rubidium or ammonium. The partly exchanged 2-1 layer phyllosilicate may be contacted with soil and then the mixture subjected to a series of wetting and drying cycles. The transfer factor of radiocaesium to growing plants is significantly reduced by the application of the partly exchanged 2-1 layer phyllosilicate to soils independent of whether the soils have a low cation exchange capacity (e.g. podzolic or sandy soils) or include a higher loading of organic material. . Methods of soil and water supply treatment are described. The compositions and methods of the present invention may provide an unexpectedly high and industrially useful radiocaesium sorption selectivity