Evaluation of radionuclides in groundwater around proposed uranium mining sites in Bagjata and Banduhurang, Jharkhand (India)

Abstract

Radionuclides find their way into the water resources at sites in the vicinity of nuclear facilities involved in mining, milling, ore separation, purification, etc. The presented study delineates the distribution of radionuclides {Ra and U(nat)} in groundwaters existing in the vicinity of two proposed uranium mine sites and evaluates their ingestion dose through the intake of drinking water. The study reveals that the U(nat) concentration in groundwater varied from <0.5 to 11.2 μg.l-1 in the Bagjata mining area and from <0.5 to 27.5 μg.l-1 in the Banduhurang mining area, while 226Ra was found in the range of <3.5 to 206 mBq.l-1 and <3.5 to 82 mBq.l-1, respectively, for both areas. Seasonal variation and distribution of radionuclides in the study area did not show any definite pattern. A strong positive correlation of U(nat) in groundwater with pH and negative correlation of 226Ra with pH is shown in the study. The ingestion dose to the public through intake of drinking water is estimated as 9.43 μSv.y-1 for Bagjata and 6.28 μSv.y-1 for Banduhurang, which is much lower than the reference limit (100 μSv.y-1) given by the WHO. © 2011 EDP Sciences.