Enhancing radium solubilization in soils by citrate, EDTA, and EDDS chelating amendments

► The aim was to optimize radium solubilization for the purposes of remediation. ► The most important factor in radium solubilization was found to be the pH. ► Radium release increases with the reagent concentration. ► The largest release of radium is obtained with 50 mmol kg−1 of citrate, at pH acid, and 4 days after incubation. ► The best conditions for the release of radium are the same as for uranium.