Near-conservative behavior of 129Iodine in the Orange County Aquifer System, California
Iodine is a biophilic element, with one stable isotope, {sup 127}I, and one long-lived radioisotope, {sup 129}I, which originates in the surface environment almost entirely from anthropogenic activities such as nuclear fuel reprocessing. Very few studies have evaluated the geochemical behavior of iodine isotopes in the subsurface. The concentrations of {sup 129}I and {sup 127}I were measured in wells fed by a series of artificial recharge ponds in the Forebay Area of the Orange County groundwater basin (California, USA) to evaluate their potential use as hydrological tracers. To substantiate interpretation of {sup 129}I and {sup 127}I concentration data, the aquifer system was evaluated using literature values of aquifer water mass age based on {sup 3}H/{sup 3}He, Xenon and {delta}{sup 18}O tracer data, as well as time-series data of Santa Ana River flow rates over the past decade. The aquifer data demonstrate the nearly conservative behavior of {sup 129}I, with {sup 129}I/{sup 127}I ratios likely reflecting variations in source functions as well as climatic conditions, and with inferred particle-water partition coefficients (K{sub d}) of 0.1 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1} or less.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15020093
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-209209; APPGEY; TRN: US0504443
- Journal Information:
- Applied Geochemistry, Vol. 20, Issue 8; ISSN 0883-2927
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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