Isotopic studies of sources of uranium in sediments of the Ashtabula River, Ohio, U.S.A.
Uranium contamination of anthropogenic origin has been identified in unconsolidated sediment of a 1.5 km portion of the Ashtabula River near its confluence with Lake Erie. Uranium concentrations as high as 188 {mu}g/g dry sediment are present. A small tributary of the Ashtabula River, Fields Brook, is the apparent point of origin of the uranium in the Ashtabula River sediments. {sup 137}Cs dating of a sediment core indicates that the U contamination occurred during the post-1964 time frame. The horizons of elevated U concentration also exhibit > 10x elevations in Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, and W. {sup 238}U/{sup 235}U isotopic ratios indicate that the uranium is largely but not exclusively of natural composition. Distinct horizons of slightly {sup 235}U-depleted ({sup 238}U/{sup 235}U > 137.88) and slightly {sup 235}U-enriched ({sup 238}U/{sup 235}U < 137.88) uranium are also present. {sup 210}Pb activities and {sup 232}Th/{sup 230}Th isotopic measurements indicate that a significant portion of the uranium contains {sup 238}U daughters in approximate secular equilibrium. It is inferred that at least two distinct sources of anthropogenic U contamination exist: (a) discharges from the processing of enriched and depleted U metal by a DOE contractor facility and (B) U-bearing wastes from the production of TiO{sub 2} from limonite and associated minerals. These isotopic methodologies are potentially useful in settings where releases of nonnatural {sup 238}U/{sup 235}U composition materials and/or naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) have taken place.
- Research Organization:
- Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, AZ (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20020674
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 34, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: 15 Mar 2000; ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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