Investigating Uranium Isotopic Ratios and Activity Ratios in Groundwaters in the State of Idaho. Issue 1 (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tkavadze, Levan; Brey, Richard R.; Dudgeon, John
• Is Part Of: Health physics. Volume 114:Issue 1(2018:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: 234U -- 238U -- groundwater -- uranium; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Health Physics -- periodicals; Radiation Protection -- periodicals; Radiotherapy -- periodicals; Medische fysica; Electronic journals; 612.01448
• DOI: 10.1097/HP.0000000000000727
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9078

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: Analyzing uranium isotopic and activity ratios can give valuable information for hydrologic and environmental studies such as insights to weathering processes, estimating water mixing ratios, and identifying water sources. The authors employed an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) to perform environmental level concentration measurements of isotopic uranium on 380 groundwater samples from various locations within the state of Idaho. The 234 U: 238 U uranium activity ratios (UAR) for these samples range between 0.91 and 6.21, which suggests that the parent 238 U is not in equilibrium with its decay product 234 U. The 235 U: 238 U isotopic ratio was also measured for each sample to confirm that there was no depleted or enriched uranium present. All 380 samples exhibited the natural isotopic ratios of 235 U and 238 U isotopes. Therefore, it was concluded that the 234 U: 238 U UARs reflect natural variations in the Idaho groundwater systems.