16
(1960).
The calcite
CaO and CO>.
(CacO3) becomes thermally decomposed to
In the cooling fireball, droplets of CaO form
as condensation nuclei for the still vaporized fission products
and induced transition element radionuclides.
upon interaction with water vapor,
the sea as Ca(OH)2,
Ca(OH)9,
Slaking occurs
and the particle falis into
to which radiomaterials have been adsorbed.
being slightly soluble in sea water,
releases OH™ ions,
which immediately react with Mg2* ions in the sea water,
forming
an insoluble Mg(OH)2 shell around the particle, preventing the
soluble constituents of the interior of the particle from going
into solution.
Thus radiomaterials, which would normally be
sOluble in sea water,
are prevented from going into solution by
an insoluble coating of Mg(OH)2 which forms around the particles
of glaked lime to which they are adsorbed.
The distribution of the minor constituents of sea water
is sensitive to a group of interacting phenomena, related particularly to the properties of colloids, known as sorption.
Sorption occurs when ions or colloidal particles from either
of two phases are taken up at the phase boundary.
De Vore
(1955) has discussed the role of adsorption in the separation
and distribution of the elements.
Although his discussion is
primarily concerned with sorption upon mineral surfaces,
it is
LF