Environmental Characteristics of Natural Radionuclides in Groundwaters in Volcanic Rock Areas: Korea

We analyzed natural radionuclides in 80 wells in volcanic rock areas and investigated environmental characteristics. Uranium and radon concentrations ranged from ND to $9.70{\mu}g/L$ (median value: 0.21) ${\mu}g/L$, 38~29,222 pCi/L (median value: 579), respectively. In case of gross-${\alpha}$, 26 samples exceeded MDA (minimum detectable activity, < 0.9 pCi/L) value and the activity values ranged from 1.05 to 8.06 pCi/L. The radionuclides concentrations did not exceed USEPA MCL (maximum contaminant level) value of Uranium ($30{\mu}g/L$) and gross-${\alpha}$ (15 pCi/L). But Rn concentrations in 4 samples exceeded USEPA AMCL (Alternative maximum contaminant level, 4,000 pci/L) and one of them showed a significantly higher value (29,222 pCi/L) than the others. The levels of uranium concentrations in volcanic rock aquifer regions were detected in order of andesite, miscellaneous volcanic rocks, rhyolite, basalt aquifer regions. Radon, however, was detected in order of miscellaneous volcanic rocks, rhyolite, andesite, basalt aquifer regions. The correlation coefficient between uranium and radon was r = 0.45, but we found that correlations of radionuclides with in-situ data or major ions were weak or no significant. The correlation coefficient between the depth of wells and uranium concentrations was a slightly higher than that of depth of wells and radons. Radionuclide concentrations in volcanic rock aquifers showed lower levels than those of other rock aquifers such as granite, metamorphic rock aquifers, etc. This result may imply difference of host rock's bearing-radioactive-mineral contents among rock types of aquifers.