Thallium mobility in the critical zone - Sorption of thallium on select clay minerals

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Thallium is an emerging contaminant with higher toxicity to mammals than other heavy metals such as Pb, Cd or Hg. Soils represent the crucial environmental compartment for Tl transfer paths from point sources to the adjacent bio- and hydrosphere, respectively. Thus, a quantitative understanding of the Tl behavior in the critical zone in general and in soil in particular is of great social importance. The sorption properties of Tl on clay minerals, which are key phases for the enrichment or migration of Tl in soils, are not properly investigated. This project will generate sorption isotherms of Tl and potentially similarly behaving metals on select and representative clay minerals. The data will significantly improve the knowledge of Tl behavior and Tl transfer in the critical zone. This will be evaluated in a case study on a soil affected by smelter-derived Tl input.