Modelling of radium-226 leaching from barium-radium sulfate sludges

Huck, Peter M.; McClymont, G. L.; Schwartz, Franklin W.; Nesbitt, Bruce E.; Anderson, William B.; Kratochvil, Byron

doi:10.1016/0956-053x(89)90076-7

Cited by 11 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…This finding justifies the efforts that are currently being undertaken in the search for barium-free pyrotechnics [25]. One possible method to remove radium from the radiobarite ore, however, could be to set it under reducing conditions which causes the complete mobilization of radium from the barite [26].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Do pyrotechnics contain radium?

Steinhäuser

Musilek

2009

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Many pyrotechnic devices contain barium nitrate which is used as an oxidizer and colouring agent primarily for green-coloured fireworks. Similarly, strontium nitrate is used for red-coloured pyrotechnic effects. Due to their chemical similarities to radium, barium and strontium ores can accumulate radium, causing a remarkable activity in these minerals. Radium in such contaminated raw materials can be processed together with the barium or strontium, unless extensive purification of the ores was undertaken. For example, the utilization of 'radiobarite' for the production of pyrotechnic ingredients can therefore cause atmospheric pollution with radium aerosols when the firework is displayed, resulting in negative health effects upon inhalation of these aerosols. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of gamma-photon-emitting radionuclides in several pyrotechnic devices. The highest specific activities were due to K-40 (up to 20 Bq g −1 , average value 14 Bq g −1 ). Radium-226 activities were in the range of 16-260 mBq g −1 (average value 81 mBq g −1 ). Since no uranium was found in any of the samples, indeed, a slight enrichment of Ra-226 in coloured pyrotechnics can be observed. Radioactive impurities stemming from the Th-232 decay chain were found in many samples as well. In the course of novel developments aiming at the 'greening' of pyrotechnics, the potential radioactive hazard should be considered as well.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Do pyrotechnics contain radium?

Steinhäuser

Musilek

2009

Environ. Res. Lett.

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“…All of these samples were analyzed in sealed (~100 cm 3 ) plastic containers using the same gamma spectrometer as the lake waters. The results (Table 3) show that the sediments are somewhat (approximately a factor of 2) enriched in radium compared to typical soils and sediments (Eisenbud and Gesell, 1997;Huck et al, 1989) [14] [15] but not nearly elevated to the same extent as the lake waters. In addition, the isotopic composition of the sediments is very different from the formation waters with an average activity ratio of 0.89 ± 0.13 (formation waters AR = 2.0 ± 0.4).…”

Section: Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radium Isotopes in an Oil-Field Produced Lake near Baku, Azerbaijan

Humbatov¹,

Suleymanov²,

Ahmedov³

et al. 2016

JEP

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An assessment of radiologically enhanced residual materials generated during oil and gas production in near Baku, Azerbaijan, was conducted. Distribution of the 228 Ra/ 226 Ra Activity Ratio (AR) with depth in a sediment core from radium lake was examined. The dashed line represented ingrowth assuming that 228 Ra was below equilibrium with 232 Th in the young sediments near the top and reached equilibrium at a depth around 10 cm. In this study the radium isotopic data are used to provide estimates of the age of formation of the radiobarite contaminant and age of oil field lake. The results indicate that, the upper two layers in the core (up to 4 cm) contain fallout 137 Cs so at least these layers are no older than about 40 yrs. Formation waters that are sent to disposal ponds may consist of accumulated heavy hydrocarbons, paraffin, inorganic solids, and heavy emulsions. We report here results of chemical and radiochemical measurements from formation waters separated from oil pumped from approximately 700 m below ground near Baku, Azerbaijan. Our results also include data from a formation water storage pond ("radium lake") where the waters are temporarily stored after oil is separated and then eventually disposed of by pumping into the Caspian Sea. We also analyzed the associated sediment for radiochemical components. Our study was intended to investigate how radium fractionated between the pond water and sediments.

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