1/4/2024 0 Comments Radium in waterTo know for sure if radium is present in your water supply a water test conducted by a trained water expert, who can help identify the presence of radium and other potentially harmful contaminants, is needed. Like with many other contaminants, radium is undetectable in water by sight, smell, or taste, so it can be nearly impossible to know for sure if your water is contaminated. The presence of radium in water at elevated levels can cause adverse health effects. For private wells, the homeowner is responsible for the water’s quality. Municipalities work to keep radium levels in check, but sometime an area may see elevated levels for a short time and not be in violation of EPA regulations, as was seen in Wisconsin. The goal is a level of zero pCi/L which is where there are no known adverse effects on human health. Radon-contaminated water can be found both in city supplied water and in private wells. Aside from being naturally introduced into the environment, radium has also been used in glow-in-the-dark paints for watch faces and other products that can contaminate water sources.Īccording to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the maximum contaminant level of combined radium-226 and radium-228 is 5.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). In the water cycle, as water passes through soil and rock, traces of radium can be picked up and absorbed by the water. How does radium enter water supplies and what level of radium is considered safe? ![]() Depending on various natural factors, surface water supplies and shallow wells may have lower radium levels, while deeper wells may have higher concentrations of radium. Radium also emits energy in the form of alpha particles and gamma rays which will decay to form radon. ![]() Radium (Ra) is produced by the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium in rocks and soil.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |