Factors controlling 226Ra, 228Ra and their activity ratio in groundwater - application to the Polish Carpathian mineral waters
Journal Title: Geology, Geophysics & Environment - Year 2016, Vol 42, Issue 3
Abstract
The influences of the aquifer formations, water chemical composition on the occurrence and activity ratio of radium isotopes in groundwater are discussed. Based on the model of desorption/adsorption processes of natural radionuclides in the rock-water system, the concentrations of radium isotopes and their activity ratio in groundwater are evaluated by the numerical Monte-Carlo method (MC). In case, where groundwater of similar age, limited flow (up to several meters/year), the physical conditions and the uranium and thorium activity ratios in host water formations are similar, the activity concentrations of radium isotopes (226Ra, 228Ra) and their activity ratio (226Ra/228Ra) are highest in the water of high desorption coefficient for chloride sodium water (Cl-, Na+) ions dominate), medium in water of moderate desorption (bicarbonate water – HCO3-, Ca2+) and lowest in waters of low desorption coefficient (sulfate ions prevailing SO42-, Ca2-). The statements are confirmed well in the case of the natural mineral waters occurring in the Polish Outer Carpathians. The total dissolved solids (TDS) of the Polish Carpathians waters varies from several hundreds mg/L to several tens thousands mg/L. The average concentrations of 226Ra, 228Ra and their activity ratio (226Ra/228Ra) amount to 456 mBq/L, 354 mBq/L and 2.20 for chloride waters, 45.8 mBq/L, 62.7 mBq/L and 0.70 for bicarbonate and 3.6 mBq/L, 20.1 mBq/L and 0.4 for sulfate ones, respectively. The desorption coefficients are the highest for the Cl-Na, moderate for the HCO3-Ca and the lowest for the sulfate waters (in contrast to the adsorption properties in these waters).
Authors and Affiliations
N. D. Chau, M. Kopeć, J. Nowak,
Keywords
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- EP ID EP204594
- DOI 10.7494/geol.2016.42.3.337
- Views 90
- Downloads 0
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