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Dissolution of 226Radium from pipe-scale deposits in a public water supply
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Dissolution of 226Radium from pipe-scale deposits in a public water supply

Eileen L Fisher, Laurence J Fuortes, Richard L Valentine, Marinea Mehrhoff and R.William Field
Environment international, Vol.26(1), pp.69-73
2000
DOI: 10.1016/S0160-4120(00)00080-5
PMID: 11345741
url
https://doaj.org/article/ee188bc0fe1a4c6a9a626ee8bad8c5a5View
Open Access

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine if dissolution of 226Radium from pipe-scale deposits contributes to enhanced waterborne 226Radium concentrations at the point of use. Water samples were collected from residential water customers of a small rural Iowa town. Sites were evenly divided between new and old water main connections. Daily samples were collected from the point-of-entry water. Point-of-use 226Radium concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 12.9 pCi L −1 (0.01 to 0.5 Bq L −1). The mean 226Radium concentration for homes connected to old water mains was significantly higher than the mean 226Radium concentration of homes connected to new water mains, mean(standard deviation) equal 8.3(1.1) and 5.3(0.8) pCi L −1 [0.3(1.1) and 0.2(0.8) Bq L −1], respectively. 226Radium concentrations of the point-of-entry water ranged from 5.0 pCi L −1 to 10.3 pCi L −1 (0.2 Bq L −1 to 0.4 Bq L −1). This study indicates considerable variability of 226Radium exposure from drinking water among residents of the same water supply and has implications for regulatory compliance and exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies.
 Dissolution Drinking water Pipe-scale deposits Radium SDWA regulations

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