Groundwater Radon-222 Concentrations in Antelope Creek, Idaho: Measurement and Interpolation
نویسندگان
چکیده
Groundwater samples were collected from eight wells in remote Antelope Creek valley, Idaho. Seven out of eight locations showed that groundwater 222 Rn concentrations were much greater than 11 Bq/L (300 pCi/L), a maximum contaminant level (MCL) proposed by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Rock and soil samples collected near the sampling wells revealed that 238 U contents were between 0.55 to 6.41 ppm. Minerals collected from different regions of the country with similar 238 U contents also showed high concentrations of 222 Rn in the groundwater. An interpretation technique using a Geographic Information System (GIS) software with available information also indicated a clear correlation between the rock types and 222 Rn concentrations in the groundwater. Several cancer rates near the study area reported to be higher than national average. Many factors can be affecting 222 Rn in the groundwater, what may these factors be in the study area and if the 222 Rn concentration is a contributing factor to certain high cancer rates in the area remain to be subjects of interest.
منابع مشابه
Tracing and quantifying groundwater inflow into lakes using radon-222
Papers published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions are under open-access review for the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Abstract Due to its high activities in groundwater, the radionuclide 222 Rn is a sensitive natural tracer to detect and quantify groundwater inflow into lakes, provided the comparatively low activities in the lakes can be measured accurately. Here ...
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