Soil chromatographic movement of technetium-99 through selected minnesota soils

We monitored the movement of technetium-99 through 41 samples of Minnesota soils, using soil column layer chromatography (CLC), a modification of soil thin layer chromatography. Under the aerobic conditions of soil CLC,⁹⁹Tc occurs as the pertechnetate anion. Pertechnetate movement in the soils was characterized by the traditional R_fchromatographic parameter. Reduced R_fvalues were statistically related to elevated levels of soil organic matter. Complexation of⁹⁹Tc, related to soil organic matter, was weak. Elution patterns of⁹⁹Tc in the soil CLC colums were asymmetric, with pertechnetate retardation associated with both hydrodynamic dispersion and weak retention. Pertechnetate was less mobile than was Cl⁻in selected soils by soil CLC.