Cl2 deposition on soil matrices

Deposition of chlorine gas, Cl(2), on synthetic soil sample matrices was examined in a small chamber to ascertain its potential significance as a chemical sink during large-scale releases. The effects of organic matter, clay and sand mass fractions of the soil matrix, soil packing, and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light on the observed Cl(2) deposition were examined. Organic matter content was found to be the dominant soil variable investigated that affected Cl(2) deposition; all other variables exhibited no measurable effect. Analytical results from the top 8.5mm of soil columns exposed to Cl(2) were fit to a simple kinetic model with six adjustable parameters. The kinetic model included two reactive bins to account for fast- and slow-reacting material in the soil matrices. The resulting empirical equation agreed with the data to within a factor of two and accurately predicted results from soil mixes not used to optimize the adjustable parameters. Total Cl(2) deposition, assuming a penetration depth of 8.5mm, was calculated to be as high as 160 metric tons per square kilometer for soil with an organic content of 10%, and inferred deposition velocities were as high as 0.5 cm/s for organically rich soil.