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Variation of 222Rn in public drinking water supplies
W K Drane1, E L York, J H Hightower
1Duke Power Company, McGuire Nuclear Station, Huntersville, NC 28078, USA.
Health Physics
|December 31, 1997
Summary
Radon-222 (222Rn) in drinking water can be reliably monitored using periodic grab samples. Most measurements from 14 wells were within 30% of the average radon concentration, supporting its use for regulatory compliance.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing regulations for radon-222 (222Rn) in public drinking water.
- Compliance with these regulations will necessitate periodic water sampling.
- Understanding the reliability of different sampling methods is crucial for effective implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability of grab samples for characterizing average 222Rn concentrations in groundwater sources.
- To determine if grab sampling is a suitable method for demonstrating compliance with proposed drinking water regulations.
Main Methods:
- Collected periodic grab samples from 14 groundwater wells over 2 to 26 months.
- Employed a "slow-flow" method for sample collection.
- Analyzed samples using liquid scintillation techniques.
Main Results:
- Observed variations in 222Rn concentrations over the sampling periods.
- Collected a total of 1,468 samples from the 14 wells.
- Approximately 97% of all collected samples showed results within 30% of the mean 222Rn concentration for each respective well.
Conclusions:
- Periodic grab samples, collected using the slow-flow method, can reliably characterize average 222Rn concentrations in groundwater.
- The high degree of consistency in measurements supports the use of grab sampling for regulatory compliance monitoring of 222Rn in drinking water.