Behavior of iodine in the soil

Field and laboratory experiments with application of iodine-131 to meadow and plowed soils revealed rapid vertical migration of iodine along the profile. The apparent diffusion coefficients reached 10/sup -3/ cm/sup 2//sec in the initial period and dropped to a constant level of 2 x 10/sup -6/ cm/sup 2//sec after 3 weeks. The strength of the bond of iodine with soil increased with time. Rapid escape of iodine from the soil into the atmosphere was observed in the initial period. 6 references, 4 figures, 5 tables.