In Situ Production of Chlorine-36 in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idaho: Implications for Describing Ground-Water Contamination Near a Nuclear Facility
- USGS
- University of Waterloo
The purpose of this report is to describe the calculated contribution to ground water of natural, in situ produced 36Cl in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and to compare these concentrations in ground water with measured concentrations near a nuclear facility in southeastern Idaho. The scope focused on isotopic and chemical analyses and associated 36Cl in situ production calculations on 25 whole-rock samples from 6 major water-bearing rock types present in the eastern Snake River Plain. The rock types investigated were basalt, rhyolite, limestone, dolomite, shale, and quartzite. Determining the contribution of in situ production to 36Cl inventories in ground water facilitated the identification of the source for this radionuclide in environmental samples. On the basis of calculations reported here, in situ production of 36Cl was determined to be insignificant compared to concentrations measured in ground water near buried and injected nuclear waste at the INEEL. Maximum estimated 36Cl concentrations in ground water from in situ production are on the same order of magnitude as natural concentrations in meteoric water.
- Research Organization:
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Falls, ID (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 765661
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID-22166; TRN: US0100234
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Jun 2000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AQUIFERS
CHLORINE 36
CONTAMINATION
GROUND WATER
IDAHO
PRODUCTION
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SNAKE RIVER PLAIN
CHLORINE-36 (36CL)
WATER-BEARING ROCK
SNAKE RIVER PLAIN AQUIFER
CONCENTRATIONS
IN SITU PRODUCTION
NUCLEAR WASTE