Health risk assessment for radium discharged in produced waters
Produced water generated during the production of oil and gas can contain enhanced levels of radium. This naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is discharged into freshwater streams, estuarine, coastal and outer continental shelf waters. Large volumes of produced waters are discharged to coastal waters along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The Gulf of Mexico is an important producer of fish and shellfish, and there is concern that radium discharged to coastal Louisiana could contaminate fish and shellfish used by people for food, and present a significant increase in cancer risk. This paper describes a screening-level assessment of the potential cancer risks posed by radium discharged to coastal Louisiana in oil-field produced waters. This screening analysis was performed to determine if a more comprehensive and realistic assessment is necessary, and because of the conservative assumptions embedded in the analysis overestimates the risk associated with the discharge of radium in produced waters. Two isotopes of radium (Ra-226 and Ra-228) are the radionuclides of most concern in produced water in terms of potential human health effects.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 10120432
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-45036; CONF-920206-1; ON: DE92006631
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International produced water symposium,San Diego, CA (United States),4-7 Feb 1992; Other Information: PBD: [1991]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Produced water radionuclide hazard/risk assessment, Phase 1
Produced water radionuclide hazard/risk assessment, Phase 1
Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
02 PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
FISHES
CONTAMINATION
LOUISIANA
COASTAL WATERS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
NATURAL GAS
RADIUM 226
RADIUM 228
NEOPLASMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
FOOD CHAINS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
560161
030800
560101
020900
MAN
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
DOSIMETRY AND MONITORING