Natural radionuclides in groundwater as pollutants and as useful tracers
Natural radionuclides of the uranium and thorium series are present at mBq/l concentrations up to some Bq/l in many aquifers worldwide. Health impact from these radionuclides when present in drinking water results from ingestion, inhalation of outgassing radon and from possible radionuclide accumulation when water is treated. Activity retained in filters may lead to increased dose rates and contamination problems at workplaces. An example for this frequently neglected exposition path is shown. Uranium and thorium series radionuclides omnipresence make them attractive free tracers. Mainly disequilibria in the series tell a great deal about geochemical and transport processes. We show how radium/uranium/radon correlations in thermal springs can be used to study mixing processes. Most of the natural radionuclides found in groundwater and worth analyzing either for their health impact or their use as natural tracers are alpha particle emitters. Traditional radiochemical methods to determine alpha emitters are very time consuming and use toxic or radioactive chemicals. We thus are using a simple preparation method for alpha spectrometry that produces no toxic waste and needs no sophisticated lab infrastructure.
F.Gainon H.Surbeck F.Zwahlen
Swiss Centre for Hydrogeology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
国际会议
第十二届水-岩相互作用国际研讨会(P0roceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Water-Rock Interaction)
昆明
英文
735-738
2007-07-31（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）