Colloid-Facilitated Mobilization of Metals by Freeze–Thaw Cycles

The potential of freeze–thaw cycles to release colloids and colloid-associated contaminants into water is unknown. We examined the effect of freeze–thaw cycles on the mobilization of cesium and strontium in association with colloids in intact cores of a fractured soil, where preferential flow paths are prevalent. Two intact cores were contaminated with cesium and strontium. To mobilize colloids and metal cations sequestered in the soil cores, each core was subjected to 10 intermittent wetting events separated by 66 h pauses. During the first five pauses, the cores were dried at room temperature, and during last five pauses, the cores were subjected to 42 h of freezing followed by 24 h of thawing. In comparison to drying, freeze–thaw cycles created additional preferential flow paths through which colloids, cesium, and strontium were mobilized. The wetting events following freeze–thaw intervals mobilized about twice as many colloids as wetting events following drying at room temperature. Successive wetting events following 66 h of drying mobilized similar amounts of colloids; in contrast, successive wetting events after 66 h of freeze–thaw intervals mobilized greater amounts of colloids than the previous one. Drying and freeze–thaw treatments, respectively, increased and decreased the dissolved cesium and strontium, but both treatments increased the colloidal cesium and strontium. Overall, the freeze–thaw cycles increased the mobilization of metal contaminants primarily in association with colloids through preferential flow paths. These findings suggest that the mobilization of colloid and colloid-associated contaminants could increase when temperature variations occur around the freezing point of water. Thus, climate extremes have the potential to mobilize contaminants that have been sequestered in the vadose zone for decades.