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Soil Radioactivity and the Soil Survey: Field Data Collection for Series Interpretations

Department of Natural Resources, Univ. of New Hampshire

*Corresponding author (cve{at}christa.unh.edu).

ABSTRACT

Elevated levels of naturally occurring radionuclides in bedrock of many areas of North America pose important issues for public health. Although soil surveys provide a great deal of information on many soil properties and interpretations, most do not include information on soil radioactivity levels. The objectives of this study were to: (i) develop a field protocol for determining relative radioactivity of soils derived from parent materials with high levels of naturally occurring radionuclides; (ii) determine whether radioactivity levels in those soils could be differentiated at the series level; (iii) ascertain whether radioactivity levels could be correlated to specific soil properties that may be routinely determined in the course of soil survey field operations. Dead time, bulk density, and rubification were determined for 36 pedons from four soil series with parent material derived from Conway Granite, which contains high levels of U ( 15 mg kg^-1) and Th (50 mg kg^-1). Redstone soils (fragmental, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthod) had consistently higher dead time than the other three soils. The other three series, in order of descending dead time, were Lyman (loamy, mixed, frigid Lithic Haplorthod), Berkshire (coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthod), and Hermon (sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthod). Rubification and dead time were positively correlated, but bulk density was not correlated with dead time. This information enabled separation of soil radioactivity classes at the series level, which can be used to enhance soil survey interpretations in areas where soil radioactivity poses a potential problem.

Scientific contribution no. 1894 from the New Hampshire Agric. Exp. Stn., Durham, NH 03824

Received for publication February 28, 1995.

This article has been cited by other articles:

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