Journal article
Disequilibrium of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in Drill Cuttings from a Horizontal Drilling Operation
Environmental science & technology letters, Vol.3(12), pp.425-429
12/13/2016
DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00439
Abstract
Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in solid waste or “drill cuttings” produced from unconventional drilling for natural gas extraction wells potentially pose environmental contamination risks; however, the composition and mobility of NORM in these solid wastes are poorly understood. In this study, the composition of NORM, including uranium, thorium, radium, lead, and polonium isotopes, was evaluated in three samples of drill cuttings extracted from a well drilled into the Marcellus Shale formation. Leachability of NORM in drill cuttings was characterized by leaching the solid waste with dilute acetic acid at four different pH values. The uranium-series radionuclides in cuttings and leachate samples displayed isotopic disequilibrium, suggesting some environmental mobility of radionuclides in these shale formations. Our results indicate that isotopic analysis of uranium-series radionuclides is needed for a more complete understanding of the potential environmental contamination risks associated with these solid wastes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Disequilibrium of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in Drill Cuttings from a Horizontal Drilling Operation
- Creators
- Eric S Eitrheim - Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United StatesDustin May - University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory, Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52242, United States, Interdisciplinary Human Toxicology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United StatesTori Z Forbes - Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United StatesAndrew W Nelson - Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology letters, Vol.3(12), pp.425-429
- DOI
- 10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00439
- ISSN
- 2328-8930
- eISSN
- 2328-8930
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100011126, name: Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/13/2016
- Academic Unit
- Chemistry; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Core Research Facilities
- Record Identifier
- 9984216691002771
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