Uranium series disequilibrium and high thorium and radium enrichments in Karst formations
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen (Switzerland)
- Federal Office of Public Health, Fribourg (Switzerland)
We found, in limestone Karst soils of the Jura Mountains and of the mountains in the central part of Switzerland, an enrichment up to a factor 20 of {sup 230}Th and {sup 226}Ra with respect to the activities of their progenitors, {sup 234}U and {sup 238}U. Thus, a significant radioactive disequilibrium exists between {sup 238/234}U and {sup 230}Th and {sup 226}Ra. The enrichment of {sup 226}Ra leads to locally high concentrations of its decay product, the noble gas {sup 222}Rn. We propose continuous chemical weathering of limestone (calcite) fragments within the soil column as a plausible cause for the high {sup 230}Th, {sup 226}Ra, and {sup 222}Rn activities. Uranium, contained within calcite, is released during weathering and migrates as stable uranyl carbonate complexes through the soil column. In contrast, its decay products ({sup 230}Th and {sup 226}Ra) hydrolyze, are strongly sorbed to soil particles, and/or form insoluble compounds that become more and more enriched in the soil as this process continues in time. 39 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 226677
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 30, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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