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Author Liu, Z.; Li, C.; Tan, K.; Li, Y.; Tan, W.; Li, X.; Zhang, C.; Meng, S.; Liu, L. url  openurl
  Title Study of natural attenuation after acid in situ leaching of uranium mines using isotope fractionation and geochemical data Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Science of The Total Environment Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 865 Issue Pages 161033  
  Keywords Acid in situ leaching, Geochemical and isotopic tracing, Groundwater contamination, Natural attenuation, Uranium post-mining  
  Abstract Acid in situ leaching (AISL) is a subsurface mining approach suitable for low-grade ores which does not generate tailings, and has been adopted widely in uranium mining. However, this technique causes an extremely high concentration of contaminants at post-mining sites and in the surroundings soon after the mining ceases. As a potential AISL remediation strategy, natural attenuation has not been studied in detail. To address this problem, groundwater collected from 26 wells located within, adjacent, upgradient, and downgradient of a post-mining site were chosen to analyze the fate of U(VI), SO42−, δ34S, and δ238U, to reveal the main mechanisms governing the migration and attenuation of the dominant contaminants and the spatio-temporal evolutions of contaminants in the confined aquifer of the post-mining site. The δ238U values vary from −0.07 ‰ to 0.09 ‰ in the post-mining site and from −1.43 ‰ to 0.03 ‰ around the post-mining site. The δ34S values were found to vary from 3.3 ‰ to 6.2 ‰ in the post-mining site and from 6.0 ‰ to 11.0 ‰ around the post-mining site. Detailed analysis suggests that there are large differences between the range of isotopic composition variation and the range of pollutants concentration distribution, and the estimated Rayleigh isotope fractionation factor is 0.9994–0.9997 for uranium and 1.0032–1.0061 for sulfur. The isotope ratio of uranium and sulfur can be used to deduce the migration history of the contaminants and the irreversibility of the natural attenuation process in the anoxic confined aquifer. Combining the isotopic fractionation data for U and S with the concentrations of uranium and sulfate improved the accuracy of understanding of reducing conditions along the flow path. The study also indicated that as long as the geological conditions are favorable for redox reactions, natural attenuation could be used as a cost-effective remediation scheme.  
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  ISSN 0048-9697 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ liu_study_2023 Serial 155  
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Author Yabusaki, S.B.; Fang, Y.; Long, P.E.; Resch, C.T.; Peacock, A.D.; Komlos, J.; Jaffe, P.R.; Morrison, S.J.; Dayvault, R.D.; White, D.C.; Anderson, R.T. url  openurl
  Title Uranium removal from groundwater via in situ biostimulation: Field-scale modeling of transport and biological processes Type Journal Article
  Year 2007 Publication Journal of Contaminant Hydrology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 93 Issue 1 Pages 216-235  
  Keywords Bioremediation, Biostimulation, Field experiment, Iron, Reactive transport, Sulfate, Uranium  
  Abstract During 2002 and 2003, bioremediation experiments in the unconfined aquifer of the Old Rifle UMTRA field site in western Colorado provided evidence for the immobilization of hexavalent uranium in groundwater by iron-reducing Geobacter sp. stimulated by acetate amendment. As the bioavailable Fe(III) terminal electron acceptor was depleted in the zone just downgradient of the acetate injection gallery, sulfate-reducing organisms came to dominate the microbial community. In the present study, we use multicomponent reactive transport modeling to analyze data from the 2002 field experiment to identify the dominant transport and biological processes controlling uranium mobility during biostimulation, and determine field-scale parameters for these modeled processes. The coupled process simulation approach was able to establish a quantitative characterization of the principal flow, transport, and reaction processes based on the 2002 field experiment, that could be applied without modification to describe the 2003 field experiment. Insights gained from this analysis include field-scale estimates of the bioavailable Fe(III) mineral threshold for the onset of sulfate reduction, and rates for the Fe(III), U(VI), and sulfate terminal electron accepting processes.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0169-7722 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ yabusaki_uranium_2007 Serial 156  
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Author Borrego-Alonso, D.; Quintana-Arnés, B.; Lozano, J.C. url  openurl
  Title Natural radionuclides behaviour in drinking groundwaters from Castilla y León (Spain); radiological implications Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Water Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 245 Issue Pages 120616  
  Keywords Drinking water, Environmental monitoring, Natural radioactivity, Public health, Radiological characterisation  
  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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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0043-1354 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ borrego-alonso_natural_2023 Serial 157  
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Author Rosen, M.R.; Burow, K.R.; Fram, M.S. url  openurl
  Title Anthropogenic and geologic causes of anomalously high uranium concentrations in groundwater used for drinking water supply in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley, CA Type Journal Article
  Year 2019 Publication Journal of Hydrology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 577 Issue Pages 124009  
  Keywords California, Central Valley, Geochemistry, Groundwater San Joaquin Valley, Uranium  
  Abstract Concentrations of uranium (U) \textgreater30 µg/L in groundwater are relatively uncommon in drinking water in the United States but can be of concern in those areas where complex interactions of aquifer materials and anthropogenic alterations of the natural flow regime mobilize U. High concentrations (\textgreater30 µg/L) of U in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley, California, USA, have been detected in 24 percent of 257 domestic, irrigation, and public-supply wells sampled across an approximately 110,000 km2 area. In this study we evaluated mechanisms for mobilization of U in the San Joaquin Valley proposed in previous studies, confirming mobilization by HCO3 and refuting mobilization by NO3 and we refined our understanding of the geologic sources of U to the scale of individual alluvial fans. The location of high concentrations depends on the interactions of geological U sources from fluvial fans that originate in the Sierra Nevada to the east and seepage of irrigation water that contains high concentrations of HCO3 that leaches U from the sediments. In addition, interactions with PO4 from fertilized irrigated fields may sequester U in the aquifer. Principal component analysis of the data demonstrates that HCO3 and ions associated with high total dissolved solids in the aquifer and the percentage of agriculture near the well sampled are associated with high U concentrations. Nitrate concentrations do not appear to control release of U to the aquifer. Age dating of the groundwater and generally increasing U concentrations of the past 25 years in resampled wells where irrigation is prevalent suggests that high U concentrations are associated with younger water, indicating that irrigation of fields over the past 100 years has significantly contributed to increasing concentrations and mobilizing U. In some places, the groundwater is supersaturated with uranyl-containing minerals, as would be expected in roll front deposits. In general, the interaction of natural geological sources high in U, the anthropogenically driven addition of HCO3 and possibly phosphate fertilizer, control the location and concentration of U in each individual fluvial fan, but the addition of nitrate in fertilizer does not appear control the location of high U. These geochemical interactions are complex but can be used to determine controls on anomalously high U in alluvial aquifers.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-1694 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ rosen_anthropogenic_2019 Serial 158  
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Author Tisherman, R.A.; Rossi, R.J.; Shonkoff, S.B.C.; DiGiulio, D.C. url  openurl
  Title Groundwater uranium contamination from produced water disposal to unlined ponds in the San Joaquin Valley Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Science of The Total Environment Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 904 Issue Pages 166937  
  Keywords Groundwater, Oil & gas, Produced water, San Joaquin Valley, Uranium  
  Abstract In the southern San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California, an agriculturally productive region that relies on groundwater for irrigation and domestic water supply, the infiltration of produced water from oil reservoirs is known to impact groundwater due to percolation from unlined disposal ponds. However, previously documented impacts almost exclusively focus on salinity, while contaminant loadings commonly associated with produced water (e.g., radionuclides) are poorly constrained. For example, the infiltration of bicarbonate-rich produced waters can react with sediment-bound uranium (U), leading to U mobilization and subsequent transport to nearby groundwater. Specifically, produced water infiltration poses a particular concern for SJV groundwater, as valley-fill sediments are well documented to be enriched in geogenic, reduced U. Here, we analyzed monitoring well data from two SJV produced water pond facilities to characterize U mobilization and subsequent groundwater contamination. Groundwater wells installed within 2 km of the facilities contained produced water and elevated levels of uranium. There are \textgreater400 produced water disposal pond facilities in the southern SJV. If our observations occur at even a fraction of these facilities, there is the potential for widespread U contamination in the groundwaters of one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0048-9697 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ tisherman_groundwater_2023 Serial 159  
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Author Mathuthu, M.; Uushona, V.; Indongo, V. url  openurl
  Title Radiological safety of groundwater around a uranium mine in Namibia Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 122 Issue Pages 102915  
  Keywords Groundwater, ICP-MS, Radiological hazard, Uranium mining  
  Abstract Uranium mining activities produce the main element used in nuclear energy production. However, it can also negatively affect the environment including groundwater by release of residues or effluent containing radioactive elements. The study investigated the concentration and radiological hazard of uranium in groundwater and seepage water from the tailings of a uranium mine in Namibia. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to assess the concentration of uranium in the groundwater and seepage water and the radiological hazards were determined. The radiological hazard indices Radium equivalent activity (Raeq), Absorbed dose (D), Annual Effective Dose equivalent (AEDE), External hazard index (Hex) and Internal hazard index (Hin) were determined and compared to limits recommended by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The calculated average value of D and Hin of groundwater is 108.11nGyh−1 and 1.26, respectively and are above the UNSCEAR values (55 nGyh−1 and 1). Further, the average values of Raeq, AEDE and Hex were below the recommended values. The isotopic ratio of uranium radionuclides in groundwater indicates that the uranium in the sampled groundwater is below 1 suggesting it is not natural uranium present but a possible contamination from the mine seepage. The radiological hazard parameters of the seepage water were above the recommended values and thus pose a radiation risk to human and environment.  
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  ISSN 1474-7065 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ mathuthu_radiological_2021 Serial 160  
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Author Kumar, V.; Setia, R.; Pandita, S.; Singh, S.; Mitran, T. url  openurl
  Title Assessment of U and As in groundwater of India: A meta-analysis Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemosphere Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 303 Issue Pages 135199  
  Keywords Arsenic, Geology, Groundwater, Health risk, Soil texture, Uranium  
  Abstract More than 2.5 billion people depend upon groundwater worldwide for drinking, and giving quality water has become one of the great apprehensions of human culture. The contamination of Uranium (U) and Arsenic (As) in the groundwater of India is gaining global attention. The current review provides state-of-the-art groundwater contamination with U and As in different zones of India based on geology and soil texture. The average concentration of U in different zones of India was in the order: West Zone (41.07 μg/L) \textgreater North Zone (37.7 μg/L) \textgreater South Zone (13.5 μg/L)\textgreater Central Zone (7.4 μg/L) \textgreater East Zone (5.7 μg/L) \textgreaterSoutheast Zone (2.4 μg/L). The average concentration of As in groundwater of India is in the order: South Zone (369.7 μg/L)\textgreaterCentral Zone (260.4 μg/L)\textgreaterNorth Zone (67.7 μg/L)\textgreaterEast Zone (60.3 μg/L)\textgreaterNorth-east zone (9.78 μg/L)\textgreaterWest zone (4.14 μg/L). The highest concentration of U and As were found in quaternary sediments, but U in clay skeletal and As in loamy skeletal. Results of health risk assessment showed that the average health quotient of U in groundwater for children and adults was less than unity. In contrast, it was greater than unity for As posing a harmful impact on human health. This review provides the baseline data regarding the U and As contamination status in groundwater of India, and appropriate, effective control measures need to be taken to control this problem.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0045-6535 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ kumar_assessment_2022 Serial 161  
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Author Gómez, P.; Garralón, A.; Buil, B.; Turrero, M.J.; Sánchez, L.; Cruz, B. de la url  openurl
  Title Modeling of geochemical processes related to uranium mobilization in the groundwater of a uranium mine Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Science of The Total Environment Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 366 Issue 1 Pages 295-309  
  Keywords Geochemical modeling, Granite, Groundwater, Uranium mine, Uranium retention  
  Abstract This paper describes the processes leading to uranium distribution in the groundwater of five boreholes near a restored uranium mine (dug in granite), and the environmental impact of restoration work in the discharge area. The groundwater uranium content varied from \textless1 μg/L in reduced water far from the area of influence of the uranium ore-containing dyke, to 104 μg/L in a borehole hydraulically connected to the mine. These values, however, fail to reflect a chemical equilibrium between the water and the pure mineral phases. A model for the mobilization of uranium in this groundwater is therefore proposed. This involves the percolation of oxidized waters through the fractured granite, leading to the oxidation of pyrite and arsenopyrite and the precipitation of iron oxyhydroxides. This in turn leads to the dissolution of the primary pitchblende and, subsequently, the release of U(VI) species to the groundwater. These U(VI) species are retained by iron hydroxides. Secondary uranium species are eventually formed as reducing conditions are re-established due to water–rock interactions.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0048-9697 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ gomez_modeling_2006 Serial 162  
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Author Holmes, M.; Campbell, E.E.; Wit, M. de; Taylor, J.C. url  openurl
  Title Can diatoms be used as a biomonitoring tool for surface and groundwater?: Towards a baseline for Karoo water Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication South African Journal of Botany Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 161 Issue Pages 211-221  
  Keywords Bioindicator, Diatom, Hydraulic fracturing, Karoo, Water quality  
  Abstract The environmental risks from shale gas extraction through the unconventional method of ‘fracking’ are considerable and impact on water supplies below and above ground. Since 2010 the recovery of natural shale gas through fracking has been proposed in parts of the fragile semi-arid ecosystems that make up the Karoo biome in South Africa. These unique ecosystems are heavily reliant on underground water, intermittent and ephemeral springs, which are at great risk of contamination by fracking processes. Diatoms are present in all water bodies and reflect aspects of the environment in which they are located. As the possibility of fracking has not been removed, the aim of the project was to determine if diatoms could be used for rapid biomonitoring of underground and surface waters in the Karoo. Over a period of 24 months, water samples and diatom species were collected simultaneously from 65 sites. A total of 388 diatom taxa were identified from 290 samples with seasonal and substrate variation affecting species composition but not the environmental information. Species diversity information, on the other hand, often varied significantly between substrates within a single sample. Analysis using CCA established that the diatom composition was affected by lithium, oxidized nitrogen, electrical conductivity, and sulphate levels in the sampled water. We conclude that changes in diatom community composition in the Karoo do reflect the water chemistry and could be useful as bioindicators.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0254-6299 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ holmes_can_2023 Serial 163  
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Author Moreau, M.; Daughney, C. url  openurl
  Title Defining natural baselines for rates of change in New Zealand’s groundwater quality: Dealing with incomplete or disparate datasets, accounting for impacted sites, and merging into state of the-environment reporting Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Science of The Total Environment Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 755 Issue Pages 143292  
  Keywords Baseline, Groundwater quality, Machine-learning, Monitoring, New Zealand, Trends  
  Abstract To effectively manage sustainably groundwater bodies, it is essential to establish what the naturally occurring ranges of chemical concentrations in groundwaters are and how they change over time. We defined baseline trends for New Zealand groundwaters using: 1) pattern recognition techniques to deal with inconsistent monitoring suites between the national (110 sites) and the denser regional network (\textgreater1000 sites), and 2) multivariate statistics to identify and remove impacted sites from the enhanced dataset. Rates of changes were calculated for 13 parameters between January 2005 and December 2014 at more than 1000 groundwater quality monitoring sites. The resulting dataset included 262 complete cases (CC), which was enhanced using Machine-Learning (ML) techniques to a total of 607 sites. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify trend clusters that were consistent between the CC, ML-enhanced datasets and a 2006 study based on solely on the national network. The largest cluster (WR) consisted of low magnitude changes across all parameters and was attributed to water-rock interaction processes. The second largest cluster (I) exhibited fast changes particularly for parameters linked to human-induced impact. The third largest cluster (D) comprised decreases of all parameters and was associated with dilution processes. Trend clusters were further refined using groundwater quality state information, enabling the identification of impacted sites outside of Cluster I in the ML-enhanced and CC datasets. Corresponding trend baselines were subsequently derived at unimpacted sites using univariate quantile distribution (5th and 95th percentile thresholds). Finally, we developed classifications combining baselines (state and trend) and natural variability to enhance state of the environment reporting. This allowed the new identification of deteriorating trends at sites where groundwater quality state is not yet affected in addition to trend reversals. These classifications can be adapted to incorporate new knowledge or align with surface water quality reporting.  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0048-9697 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ moreau_defining_2021 Serial 164  
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