Assessment of sources for higher Uranium concentration in ground waters of the Central Tamilnadu, India

[摘要] The uranium concentration in groundwater has attained greater importance considering the health effects in mankind. Groundwater being the major source of uranium; sampling and analysis of groundwater for the major cations and anions along with uranium has been carried out in hard rock aquifers of Madurai district. The sampling has been carried out in varied aquifers like, Charnockites, Hornblende Biotite Gneiss, Granites, Quartzites, Laterites and sandstone. The cation and anions showed the following order of dominance Na+>Ca2+>Mg2+>K+and that of anions are HCO3->Cl->SO42-> NO3->PO43-. Higher concentration of uranium was found along the granitic aquifers and it varied along the groundwater table condition. Further it was identified that the mineral weathering was the predominant source of U in groundwater. Tritium studies also reveal the fact that the younger waters are more enriched in uranium than the older groundwater with longer residence time.

[发布机构] Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Tamilnadu, India^1;Isotope Production and Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India^2;Department of Applied Geology, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Sarawak, CDT 250, Miri, Sarawak; 98009, Malaysia^3

[效力级别] 工业技术

[关键词] Biotite gneiss;Ground water table;Hard-rock aquifers;Health effects;Major cations;Mineral weathering;Residence time;Uranium concentration