The use of the environmental isotope caesium-137 as a tracer for soil erosion study

Mohd Tadza Abdul Rahman and Daud Mohamad and Zainudin Othman and Abdul Rahim Samsudin (1999) The use of the environmental isotope caesium-137 as a tracer for soil erosion study. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia, 43. pp. 337-343. ISSN 2637-109X

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Abstract

The fallout isotope caesium-137 (¹³⁷CS), a product of thermonuclear weapon tests, has been distributed globally and become part of the world ecosystem. For the last 25 years of research, the fallout radionuclide ¹³⁷CS has been used as an indicator of soil erosion and sediment deposition status. The fallout radionuclide ¹³⁷CS reached the earth surface primarily in association with precipitation. On reaching the earth surface, ¹³⁷CS has become firmly adsorbed to surface soils particularly clay minerals. Fallout from atmospheric weapons testing during the 1950s to 1970s has labelled soil materials, so the sites with no net soil loss should have ¹³⁷CS inventories that reflect the amount of ¹³⁷CS fallout. The level of ¹³⁷CS at an undisturbed site should provide a reference value for assessing the degree of erosion and deposition within the area, where sites with less than the reference value can be considered eroded, and sites with more than the reference value can be regarded as depositional. This paper will highlight the advantages and detail information concerning the ¹³⁷CS technique.

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