Treatment MethodsĪs always, the most important step in water treatment is to have a water analysis performed on your water by an EPA Certified Laboratory capable of performing radiochemistry analysis, in order to determine the proper course of action when considering treatment options. The MCL for Uranium is 30 ug/L, which is equivalent to 20.27 pCi/L. The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water which is delivered to any user of a public system. The goal is always to have zero measurable levels of contaminants like uranium or radium in your drinking water, this goal is referred to as the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG). Therefore, both are listed under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations as set by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is assumed and expected that any exposure to radiation carries some degree of risk. If ingested, radium can be readily absorbed into the skeletal system and potentially cause bone cancer. Radium is an alkaline earth metal and therefore shares many of the same physical and chemical properties as magnesium and calcium, elements the body uses for bone development. Radium also presents a unique threat due to its position in the periodic table. According to the National Academy of Sciences, exposure to radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Uranium can naturally decay to form radium, which naturally decays to from deadly radon gas. Also, the natural decay of both elements into other radioactive substances further increases health concerns. Over enough time and exposure, Uranium and Radium can lead to increased risk of cancer and organ failure. Potential Health EffectsĮxposure to Uranium and Radium over time can result in dangerous and harmful health effects. Radium is now used in some medical equipment and cancer treatment drugs. Radium was used to make luminous paints for watch dials and military instruments, but was discontinued due to health hazards from constant exposure. Over time, Radium will decay to form other elements like Radon, a dangerous and potentially lethal gas that tends to collect in the basements of homes. The most common forms of radium are Ra-226 and Ra-228, but all isotopic forms are radioactive. Radium occurs naturally from the radioactive decay of uranium over time. As uranium decays naturally over time, it releases radiation and forms new elements like radium, lead, and radon gas. In very low pH conditions, uranium exists in a cation oxidized form UO2, but it is most commonly present as anionic compounds UO2(CO3)2 and UO2(CO3)3. All three forms of uranium have the same chemical and physical properties, but have different radioactive properties. U-235 is the preferred isotope for nuclear power generation. Uranium is the largest naturally occurring element on earth, nearly 70% denser than lead, and exists naturally as three different isotopes: U-234, U-235, and U-238, with U-238 and U-235 being the most common. Rather than the glowing green rocks often portrayed in cinema or television, uranium and radium are found in ores mixed with other minerals and metals. Uranium and Radium are naturally occurring elements that are found throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States in bedrock deposits like shale or granite deep below the surface. The two most common radionuclides found in groundwater supplies are Uranium and Radium. The half-life for radionuclides can range from a few thousands of a second to a few billion years. The half-life is the time required for half of the original element to decay. This process is known as radioactive decay and is measured by the half-life of the element. Radioactivity is the release of energy, radiation, that occurs when these unstable elements decay or breakdown into more stable elements. Radionuclides are radioactive isotopes or unstable forms of elements. So you've just had your water tested and the lab results are telling you that you've got radionuclides.
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