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Charles M, Thomas E, Chandran R, Crasta R, Dawalekar KV, Yerol N. Distribution of 210Po activity and soil texture in agricultural soil. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2024; 200:1047-1051. [PMID: 39016479 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
The assessment of 210Po in agricultural soil matrices in different regions of Kerala and Karnataka was studied. The wet ash method was used to find the activity concentration of 210Po. The alpha activity was counted using a silver-activated zinc sulfide counter of 30% efficiency, and the activity was calculated. The average concentration of 210Po activity in soil samples ranged from 0.09 to 20.52 Bq kg-1, with an average value of 4.47 Bq kg-1. The soil texture was measured using the International Pipette method. Using the IBM Statistical Package of Social Science Software, the frequency distribution curve of 210Po is plotted and found to be lognormal. The data of 210Po are highly skewed, and the Kurtosis has a significant positive value. The 210Po activity concentrations are substantially within the World Health Organization's recommended limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meril Charles
- Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Physics, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangalore 575003, India
| | - Ebin Thomas
- Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Physics, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangalore 575003, India
| | - Ruchila Chandran
- Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Physics, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangalore 575003, India
| | - Rita Crasta
- Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Physics, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangalore 575003, India
| | | | - Narayana Yerol
- Department of Physics, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri Campus, Karnataka 574199, India
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Khan SM, Pearson DD, Eldridge EL, Morais TA, Ahanonu MIC, Ryan MC, Taron JM, Goodarzi AA. Rural communities experience higher radon exposure versus urban areas, potentially due to drilled groundwater well annuli acting as unintended radon gas migration conduits. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3640. [PMID: 38409201 PMCID: PMC10897331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53458-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Repetitive, long-term inhalation of radioactive radon gas is one of the leading causes of lung cancer, with exposure differences being a function of geographic location, built environment, personal demographics, activity patterns, and decision-making. Here, we examine radon exposure disparities across the urban-to-rural landscape, based on 42,051 Canadian residential properties in 2034 distinct communities. People living in rural, lower population density communities experience as much as 31.2% greater average residential radon levels relative to urban equivalents, equating to an additional 26.7 Bq/m3 excess in geometric mean indoor air radon, and an additional 1 mSv/year in excess alpha radiation exposure dose rate to the lungs for occupants. Pairwise and multivariate analyses indicate that community-based radon exposure disparities are, in part, explained by increased prevalence of larger floorplan bungalows in rural areas, but that a majority of the effect is attributed to proximity to, but not water use from, drilled groundwater wells. We propose that unintended radon gas migration in the annulus of drilled groundwater wells provides radon migration pathways from the deeper subsurface into near-surface materials. Our findings highlight a previously under-appreciated determinant of radon-induced lung cancer risk, and support a need for targeted radon testing and reduction in rural communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selim M Khan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Robson DNA Science Centre, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Dustin D Pearson
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Robson DNA Science Centre, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Evangeline L Eldridge
- Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tiago A Morais
- Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Marvit I C Ahanonu
- School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - M Cathryn Ryan
- Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Joshua M Taron
- School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Aaron A Goodarzi
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Robson DNA Science Centre, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Department of Oncology, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Erickson ML, Brown CJ, Tomaszewski EJ, Ayotte JD, Böhlke JK, Kent DB, Qi S. Prioritizing water availability study settings to address geogenic contaminants and related societal factors. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:303. [PMID: 38400911 PMCID: PMC10894127 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12362-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Water availability for human and ecological uses depends on both water quantity and water quality. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing strategies for prioritizing regional-scale and watershed basin-scale studies of water availability across the nation. Previous USGS ranking processes for basin-scale studies incorporated primarily water quantity factors but are now considering additional water quality factors. This study presents a ranking based on the potential impacts of geogenic constituents on water quality and consideration of societal factors related to water quality. High-concentration geogenic constituents, including trace elements and radionuclides, are among the most prevalent contaminants limiting water availability in the USA and globally. Geogenic constituents commonly occur in groundwater because of subsurface water-rock interactions, and their distributions are controlled by complex geochemical processes. Geogenic constituent mobility can also be affected by human activities (e.g., mining, energy production, irrigation, and pumping). Societal factors and relations to drinking water sources and water quality information are often overlooked when evaluating research priorities. Sociodemographic characteristics, data gaps resulting from historical data-collection disparities, and infrastructure condition/age are examples of factors to consider regarding environmental justice. This paper presents approaches for ranking and prioritizing potential basin-scale study areas across the contiguous USA by considering a suite of conventional physical and geochemical variables related to geogenic constituents, with and without considering variables related to societal factors. Simultaneous consideration of societal and conventional factors could provide decision makers with more diverse, interdisciplinary tools to increase equity and reduce bias in prioritizing focused research areas and future water availability studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda L Erickson
- U.S. Geological Survey, 2280 Woodale Drive, Mounds View, MN, 55112, USA.
| | - Craig J Brown
- U.S. Geological Survey, 101 Pitkin Street, East Hartford, CT, 06108, USA
| | | | - Joseph D Ayotte
- U.S. Geological Survey, 331 Commerce Way, Pembroke, NH, 03275, USA
| | - John K Böhlke
- U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr, Reston, VA, 20192, USA
| | - Douglas B Kent
- U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Sharon Qi
- U.S. Geological Survey, 601 SW 2nd Ave. Suite 1950, Portland, OR, 97204, USA
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Zhou W, Wang H, Zhong Q, Shao Y, Zhou D, Yu X. Characterizing 226Ra and its daughters in coastal zone groundwater of a typical human-activity affected bay: occurrence, safety, and source evaluation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:8703-8718. [PMID: 38180669 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31784-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Due to their extremely toxic properties, 226Ra and it daughters (222Rn, 210Pb, and 210Po) in drinking groundwater require monitoring. Recent studies have reported exceptionally high levels of natural 210Po (up to 10,000 Bq/m3), 226Ra, and 222Rn isotopes in groundwater. This study aims to provide background data on 226Ra and its daughter radionuclides in the typical agricultural-industrial Dongshan Bay (DSB) before the construction of Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant (Zhangzhou NPP). The measurement results indicate that no abnormally high activities of 210Po and 210Pb were detected in the investigated wells. Strong positive correlations between 210Pb and 210Po, as well as between 222Rn and 210Pb activities, suggest that the origins of 210Pb and 210Po in groundwater are strongly influenced by the decay of the parent radionuclides 222Rn and 210Pb, respectively. In the DSB coastal zone groundwater, significant deficiencies of 210Po relative to 210Pb and 210Pb relative to 222Rn were observed, providing further evidence that 210Po and 210Pb are also effectively scavenged due to their geochemical properties (specifically particle affinity) within the groundwater-aquifer system. A systematic comparison among all relevant water bodies in the DSB revealed that the activity concentrations of 210Pb and 210Po in groundwater were the highest, except for rainwater. Based on the evaluation of 210Pb sources, the results imply that submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is an important pathway for transferring radionuclides (such as 210Pb) from land to the nearshore marine environment, even though the study area has a lower 210Pb background groundwater. By considering all the 210Pb's sources in the DSB, we found low 210Pb background groundwater discharge still needs to be taken into account for small-scale bays. This is because SGD was calculated to be one of the most important 210Pb sources in the bay during observation season. Regardless of whether the system is in a normal state or a nuclear accident emergency state, greater attention should be paid to the groundwater discharge of radionuclides into the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Zhou
- Ministry of Natural Resources, National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, 300112, China
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation Technology, Tianjin, 300112, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, 184 # DaXue Road, Siming District, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian Province, China
| | - Qiangqiang Zhong
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, 184 # DaXue Road, Siming District, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian Province, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Yi Shao
- Ministry of Natural Resources, National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, 300112, China
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation Technology, Tianjin, 300112, China
| | - Da Zhou
- Ministry of Natural Resources, National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, 300112, China
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation Technology, Tianjin, 300112, China
| | - Xueqing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
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Borrego-Alonso D, Quintana-Arnés B, Lozano JC. Natural radionuclides behaviour in drinking groundwaters from Castilla y León (Spain); radiological implications. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120616. [PMID: 37748349 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Since the coming into force of the European Council Directive 51/2013 EURATOM and its transposition into the Spanish legislation, the presence of radioactive substances in drinking waters must be kept under surveillance to ensure that the health protection requirements are met. Driven by this regulatory framework, in an attempt to know the starting point from which to design surveillance plans, the groundwaters intended for human consumption of Castilla y León (Spain) have been radiologically characterised by using both low-level γ-ray and α-particle spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides needed to account for the indicative dose estimation. This extensive research has comprised the radiological characterisation of more than 400 drinking water samples from one of the European Union's largest regions. Furthermore, the gross α and gross β activities have been analysed. Results showed a high geographical variability that can be related to the hydrogeological formations where the groundwaters come from. The uranium isotopes, 234U and 238U, are the main radionuclides present in the analysed drinking waters reaching values up to 2000 mBq/L, in the southwestern and western of Castilla y León, where U-rich minerals are part of the host rock. High 210Pb and 226,228Ra occurrences are found in the low permeability igneous and metasedimentary hydrogeological formations of Salamanca province. From a public health protection point of view, 4.4% of the total drinking water samples from intakes exceeded the Indicative Dose parametric value of 0.1 mSv, which is a not negligible number of samples, being very likely related to granitic and metamorphosed host rock under specific local conditions. This fact highlights the need for research and consideration of special surveillance of the groundwaters from these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Borrego-Alonso
- Laboratorio de Radiaciones Ionizantes y Datación, Departamento de Física Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, Espejo no. 2, 37900 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Begoña Quintana-Arnés
- Laboratorio de Radiaciones Ionizantes y Datación, Departamento de Física Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, Espejo no. 2, 37900 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Lozano
- Laboratorio de Radiaciones Ionizantes y Datación, Departamento de Física Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, Espejo no. 2, 37900 Salamanca, Spain
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Shvarts AA, Kaplan EM, Rumynin VG, Borovitskaya EY, Erzova VA. Natural radioactivity of groundwater in Vendian deposits in St. Petersburg Region. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2023; 264:107189. [PMID: 37167645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The study is focused on the hydrogeological conditions and the chemistry of groundwater of the Vendian aquifer in the western part of the Leningrad oblast (Karelian Isthmus and the area near Sosnovy Bor town) and St. Petersburg City, where groundwater features higher radioactivity, but nevertheless it is used for drinking water supply. Data on the radiological characteristics, which have been determined in the estimation of the quality of groundwater used for drinking are generalized and analyzed. These characteristics include the gross alpha and gross beta activity and the specific activity of natural radionuclides 222Rn, 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 238U, and 234U. The data were subjected to statistical and correlation analysis to determine the hygienic criteria for the use of groundwater of this aquifer for drinking water supply and to study the sources and the processes of formation of the natural radiological background. Groundwater quality standards were shown to be exceeded in the majority of the analyzed wells. The brackish water in the southern, deeper, part of the aquifer system was shown to have higher radioactivity and relatively high concentrations of 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb, and 210Po, compared with fresh water in the northern part of the territory, of which higher, though nonuniform, 222Rn activity is typical. Relationships between the radiation characteristics of groundwater are considered along with the causes of formation of groundwater radionuclide composition as a result of the higher radioactivity of the host deposits and the chemistry of groundwater; changes in the radiological and hydrochemical background groundwater characteristics from the north to the south are characterized in accordance with the subsidence of the aquifer system and an increase in the stagnation of the hydrochemical regime. The analysis of the well-known relationship between the concentrations of radium isotopes in groundwater, uranium and thorium isotopes in the host rocks, and groundwater residence time in the aquifer, along with the comparison of the available field data with calculation results, suggested the conclusion that the concentration of uranium in the water-bearing rocks in the major portion of the area under consideration is higher than its regional mean values.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Shvarts
- St. Petersburg Division, Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Srednii Prosp. 41, St. Petersburg, 199004, Russia; Institute of Earth Sciences, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7-9, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - E M Kaplan
- St. Petersburg Division, Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Srednii Prosp. 41, St. Petersburg, 199004, Russia; Institute of Earth Sciences, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7-9, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - V G Rumynin
- St. Petersburg Division, Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Srednii Prosp. 41, St. Petersburg, 199004, Russia; Institute of Earth Sciences, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7-9, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
| | - E Yu Borovitskaya
- SUE Vodokanal Sankt-Peterburga, Kavalergardskaya st. 42, St. Petersburg, 191015, Russia
| | - V A Erzova
- St. Petersburg Division, Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Srednii Prosp. 41, St. Petersburg, 199004, Russia
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Pereira WS, Kelecom A, Lopes JM, Charles-Pierre M, Campelo ELC, Carmo AS, Filho LGP, Paiva AKS, Silva AX. Application of radiological assessment as water quality criterion for effluent release in a Brazilian uranium mine. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:65379-65391. [PMID: 37084045 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26964-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Uranium mining causes several radiological impacts on the surrounding environment, notably in the water bodies, mainly due to the release of long half-life radionuclides from the 238U and 232Th series. The Ore Treatment Unit, an old uranium mine undergoing decommissioning, has three points of liquid effluent release (#014, #025, and #076). For current study, 78 samples of water were collected at #014, 33 samples at #025, and 63 samples at #076. The radionuclides were analyzed by gross alpha count, gross beta count, and by arsenazo spectrophotometry. Analyses were carried out using the radiological water quality criterion established by World Health Organization and other organizations, together with the Brazilian legislation, to assess if the released effluents may be used unrestrictedly by the individuals of the public. At #014, the mean values of activity concentration (AC), in Bq·L-1, were as follows: Unat = 0.107, 226Ra = 0.035, 210Pb = 0.031, 232Th = 0.007, and 228Ra = 0.049. At #025 the mean values of AC, in Bq·L-1, were as follows: Unat = 0.086, 226Ra = 0.015, 210Pb = 0.028, 232Th = 0.006, and 228Ra = 0.032. Finally, at point #076, the mean AC values, in Bq·L-1, were as follows: Unat = 3.624, 226Ra = 0.074, 210Pb = 0.054, 232Th = 0.013, and 228Ra = 0.069. The current study showed that natural radionuclides were not in secular equilibrium. Despite uranium presented its values outside the limits of guidance levels, it can be state that the unrestricted use of effluents released in the three water bodies is authorized from the radiological point of view. In terms of dose rate, the releases at three points were within the radiological limits of potability. On the other hand, in an additional analysis, #76 presented chemical toxicity above the authorized value, pointing the need of restricted use of water from the point of view of chemical toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wagner S Pereira
- Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil S/A - INB, 27.555-000, Resende, RJ, Brasil.
- Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, 21.941-972, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
| | - Alphonse Kelecom
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF, 24.001-970, Niterói, Brasil
| | - José M Lopes
- Departamento de Física da Terra e do Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA, 40.170-115, Salvador, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geoquímica (POSPETRO), Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA, 40.170-110, Salvador, Brasil
| | - Maxime Charles-Pierre
- Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, 21.941-972, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | | | - Alessander S Carmo
- Setor de Criogenia, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas - CBPF, 22290-180, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Lucas G Padilha Filho
- Departamento de Radiologia, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, 21941-617, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Fundação Técnico Educacional Souza Marques - FTESM, 21310-310, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Alexandre K S Paiva
- Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, 21.941-972, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Ademir X Silva
- Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, 21.941-972, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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Neenu Krishna P, Muraleedharan K. Metal chelation ability of Protocatechuic acid anion with 210Po84; A theoretical insight. COMPUT THEOR CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2022.113996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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He R, Liaw S, Zhou M, Zhou XD, Luo H. Environmental evaluation of radioactivity levels and associated radiation hazards in groundwater around the WIPP site. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 242:113849. [PMID: 35809394 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater may contain radioactive substances which can be dangerous to human health. Concentrations of natural radionuclides polonium (Po), thorium (Th), uranium (U), and radium (Ra) isotopes were measured in groundwater samples collected from different locations in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The average values of gross activity concentrations of 210Po, 228Th, 238U, 234U, 226Ra and 228 Ra isotopes were determined to be 1.62 Bq L-1 in shallow groundwater and 5.88 Bq L-1 in deep groundwater, respectively. The total radioactivity in deep groundwater was higher than that in shallow groundwater, and most of the radioactivity in the water is from 226Ra. Furthermore, the effective doses for ingestion of natural radionuclides were about 0.333 mSv y-1 for shallow groundwater and about 1.338 mSv y-1 for deep groundwater samples, which are higher than the World Health Organization (WHO, 2017) guideline level (0.1 mSv y-1) for drinking water. Ra dominated the total ingestion dose, contributing 93.06 % and 75.40 % of the total effective doses to the deep and shallow groundwater, respectively. The ingrowth and decay of natural radionuclides suggested that 228Ra/226Ra ratio can be a useful indicator of the source of radioactive contamination. The radioactivity data obtained from the investigated groundwater samples can be used to establish a baseline for radioactivity levels in groundwater around the WIPP site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong He
- Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Steven Liaw
- Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Meng Zhou
- Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute for Materials Research and Innovations, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA.
| | - Hongmei Luo
- Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
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Vengosh A, Coyte RM, Podgorski J, Johnson TM. A critical review on the occurrence and distribution of the uranium- and thorium-decay nuclides and their effect on the quality of groundwater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:151914. [PMID: 34856287 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This critical review presents the key factors that control the occurrence of natural elements from the uranium- and thorium-decay series, also known as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, radium, radon, lead, polonium, and their isotopes in groundwater resources. Given their toxicity and radiation, elevated levels of these nuclides in drinking water pose human health risks, and therefore understanding the occurrence, sources, and factors that control the mobilization of these nuclides from aquifer rocks is critical for better groundwater management and human health protection. The concentrations of these nuclides in groundwater are a function of the groundwater residence time relative to the decay rates of the nuclides, as well as the net balance between nuclides mobilization (dissolution, desorption, recoil) and retention (adsorption, precipitation). This paper explores the factors that control this balance, including the relationships between the elemental chemistry (e.g., solubility and speciation), lithological and hydrogeological factors, groundwater geochemistry (e.g., redox state, pH, ionic strength, ion-pairs availability), and their combined effects and interactions. The various chemical properties of each of the nuclides results in different likelihoods for co-occurrence. For example, the primordial 238U, 222Rn, and, in cases of high colloid concentrations also 210Po, are all more likely to be found in oxic groundwater. In contrast, in reducing aquifers, Ra nuclides, 210Pb, and in absence of high colloid concentrations, 210Po, are more mobile and frequently occur in groundwater. In highly permeable sandstone aquifers that lack sufficient adsorption sites, Ra is often enriched, even in low salinity and oxic groundwater. This paper also highlights the isotope distributions, including those of relatively long-lived nuclides (238U/235U) with abundances that depend on geochemical conditions (e.g., fractionation induced from redox processes), as well as shorter-lived nuclides (234U/238U, 228Ra/226Ra, 224Ra/228Ra, 210Pb/222Rn, 210Po/210Pb) that are strongly influenced by physical (recoil), lithological, and geochemical factors. Special attention is paid in evaluating the ability to use these isotope variations to elucidate the sources of these nuclides in groundwater, mechanisms of their mobilization from the rock matrix (e.g., recoil, ion-exchange), and retention into secondary mineral phases and ion-exchange sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joel Podgorski
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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11
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A fast strategy to sequentially separate and determine 90Sr, 210Pb and 210Po in water samples using Sr resin. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-021-08093-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThis study presents a rapid and novel sequential separation strategy based on extraction chromatography for determining 90Sr, 210Pb and 210Po in drinking water samples. It involves the use of Sr resin for the separation and then liquid scintillation counting and alpha spectrometry for the determination. The experimental results obtained showed that the proper acidic solution to quantitatively retain the aforementioned radionuclides is 3 M HNO3. The optimum eluents were determined for obtaining quantitative recoveries (70–80%) of 90Sr, 210Pb and 210Po. The method was validated with intercomparison water samples and is satisfactory in terms of minimum detectable activities, which are 50% lower than that established in RD 314/2016.
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Ram R, Owen ND, Pownceby MI, Duan G, Ehrig K, Etschmann B, Guagliardo P, Torpy A, Brugger J. Localised solution environments drive radionuclide fractionation in uraninite. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 412:125192. [PMID: 33517053 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We explore the role of various solution environments - chloride brines, acid mine drainage (sulfate) and groundwater (carbonate), as well as pore pressure in producing secular disequilibrium among the various radionuclides (RN) in the U-decay series upon leaching of uraninite - the most abundant U-ore and a widespread accessory mineral in U-rich rocks. We observed that the end products of the U-decay chain, 206Pb and 207Pb, exist primarily at the surface/edges of grains or within large pores in the uraninite. In contrast, the intermediate daughters 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, and 234/230Th, exist primarily within the bulk of uraninite, requiring breakdown by leaching for subsequent mobility to occur. Overall, pore pressure had little effect on RN mobility, with solution environment being the primary factor in creating significant mobility and disequilibrium among the RN, as it drives the initial breakdown of uraninite and influences the subsequent differential solubility of individual RNs. This was particularly the case for carbonate-bearing fluids, leading to significant fractionation of the various daughter RN arising from variable complexation and sorption phenomena. Understanding the geochemical behaviour of the RN in the U-decay series is important for predicting and managing the risks associated with RN in both environmental (acid-mine drainage) and engineered (metallurgical extraction) processes. Effective modelling of long-term RN behaviour should incorporate this strong relative fractionation caused by contrasting geochemical behaviour of individual RN during and after their release into the water from uraninite and subsequent interaction with the surrounding aquifer host rocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Ram
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
| | - Nicholas D Owen
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Mark I Pownceby
- CSIRO Mineral Resources, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
| | - Gan Duan
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Kathy Ehrig
- BHP Olympic Dam, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Barbara Etschmann
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Paul Guagliardo
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation, and Analysis, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Aaron Torpy
- CSIRO Mineral Resources, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
| | - Joël Brugger
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
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Ram R, Owen ND, Kalnins C, Cook NJ, Ehrig K, Etschmann B, Rollog M, Fu W, Vaughan J, Pring A, Pownceby MI, Spooner N, Shaw R, Howard D, Hooker AM, Ottaway D, Questiaux D, Brugger J. Understanding the mobility and retention of uranium and its daughter products. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 410:124553. [PMID: 33223312 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of the behavior of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials derived through the decay of U and its daughter products, and their subsequent fractionation, mobilization and retention, is essential to develop effective mitigation strategies and long-term radiological risk prediction. In the present study, multiple state-of-the-art, spatially resolved micro-analytical characterization techniques were combined to systematically track the liberation and migration of radionuclides (RN) from U-bearing phases in an Olympic Dam Cu flotation concentrate following sulfuric-acid-leach processing. The results highlighted the progressive dissolution of U-bearing minerals (mainly uraninite) leading to the release, disequilibrium and ultimately upgrade of daughter RN from the parent U. This occurred in conjunction with primary Cu-Fe-sulfide minerals undergoing coupled-dissolution reprecipitation to the porous secondary Cu-mineral, covellite. The budget of RN remaining in the leached concentrate was split between RN still hosted in the original U-bearing minerals, and RN that were mobilized and subsequently sorbed/precipitated onto porous covellite and auxiliary gangue mineral phases (e.g. barite). Further grinding of the flotation concentrate prior to sulfuric-acid-leach led to dissolution of U-bearing minerals previously encapsulated within Cu-Fe-sulfide minerals, resulting in increased release and disequilibrium of daughter RN, and causing further RN upgrade. The various processes that affect RN (mobility, sorption, precipitation) and sulfide minerals (coupled-dissolution reprecipitation and associated porosity generation) occur continuously within the hydrometallurgical circuit, and their interplay controls the rapid and highly localized enrichment of RN. The innovative combination of tools developed here reveal the heterogeneous distribution and fractionation of the RN in the ores following hydrometallurgical treatment at nm to cm-scales in exquisite detail. This approach provides an effective blueprint for understanding of the mobility and retention of U and its daughter products in complex anthropogenic and natural processes in the mining and energy industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Ram
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
| | - Nicholas D Owen
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Chris Kalnins
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Nigel J Cook
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Kathy Ehrig
- BHP Olympic Dam, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Barbara Etschmann
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Mark Rollog
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Weng Fu
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Level 3, Chemical Engineering Building (74), St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - James Vaughan
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Level 3, Chemical Engineering Building (74), St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Allan Pring
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | | | - Nigel Spooner
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Ruth Shaw
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Daryl Howard
- Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Anthony M Hooker
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - David Ottaway
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Danielle Questiaux
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Joël Brugger
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
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15
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Erickson ML, Elliott SM, Brown CJ, Stackelberg PE, Ransom KM, Reddy JE, Cravotta CA. Machine-Learning Predictions of High Arsenic and High Manganese at Drinking Water Depths of the Glacial Aquifer System, Northern Continental United States. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:5791-5805. [PMID: 33822585 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Globally, over 200 million people are chronically exposed to arsenic (As) and/or manganese (Mn) from drinking water. We used machine-learning (ML) boosted regression tree (BRT) models to predict high As (>10 μg/L) and Mn (>300 μg/L) in groundwater from the glacial aquifer system (GLAC), which spans 25 states in the northern United States and provides drinking water to 30 million people. Our BRT models' predictor variables (PVs) included recently developed three-dimensional estimates of a suite of groundwater age metrics, redox condition, and pH. We also demonstrated a successful approach to significantly improve ML prediction sensitivity for imbalanced data sets (small percentage of high values). We present predictions of the probability of high As and high Mn concentrations in groundwater, and uncertainty, at two nonuniform depth surfaces that represent moving median depths of GLAC domestic and public supply wells within the three-dimensional model domain. Predicted high likelihood of anoxic condition (high iron or low dissolved oxygen), predicted pH, relative well depth, several modeled groundwater age metrics, and hydrologic position were all PVs retained in both models; however, PV importance and influence differed between the models. High-As and high-Mn groundwater was predicted with high likelihood over large portions of the central part of the GLAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda L Erickson
- U.S. Geological Survey, 2280 Woodale Drive, Mounds View, Minnesota 55112, United States
| | - Sarah M Elliott
- U.S. Geological Survey, 2280 Woodale Drive, Mounds View, Minnesota 55112, United States
| | - Craig J Brown
- U.S. Geological Survey, 101 Pitkin Street, East Hartford, Connecticut 06108, United States
| | - Paul E Stackelberg
- U.S. Geological Survey, 425 Jordan Road, Troy, New York 12180, United States
| | - Katherine M Ransom
- U.S. Geological Survey, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, California 95819, United States
| | - James E Reddy
- U.S. Geological Survey, 30 Brown Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
| | - Charles A Cravotta
- U.S. Geological Survey, 215 Limekiln Road, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania 17070, United States
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Stackelberg PE, Belitz K, Brown CJ, Erickson ML, Elliott SM, Kauffman LJ, Ransom KM, Reddy JE. Machine Learning Predictions of pH in the Glacial Aquifer System, Northern USA. GROUND WATER 2021; 59:352-368. [PMID: 33314084 PMCID: PMC8246943 DOI: 10.1111/gwat.13063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
A boosted regression tree model was developed to predict pH conditions in three dimensions throughout the glacial aquifer system of the contiguous United States using pH measurements in samples from 18,386 wells and predictor variables that represent aspects of the hydrogeologic setting. Model results indicate that the carbonate content of soils and aquifer materials strongly controls pH and, when coupled with long flowpaths, results in the most alkaline conditions. Conversely, in areas where glacial sediments are thin and carbonate-poor, pH conditions remain acidic. At depths typical of drinking-water supplies, predicted pH >7.5-which is associated with arsenic mobilization-occurs more frequently than predicted pH <6-which is associated with water corrosivity and the mobilization of other trace elements. A novel aspect of this model was the inclusion of numerically based estimates of groundwater flow characteristics (age and flowpath length) as predictor variables. The sensitivity of pH predictions to these variables was consistent with hydrologic understanding of groundwater flow systems and the geochemical evolution of groundwater quality. The model was not developed to provide precise estimates of pH at any given location. Rather, it can be used to more generally identify areas where contaminants may be mobilized into groundwater and where corrosivity issues may be of concern to prioritize areas for future groundwater monitoring.
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