Natural Radioactivity in Drinking Water in the Surroundings of a Metamorphic Outcrop in Hungary: The Hydrogeological Answer to Practical Problems
Petra Baják,
Bence Molnár,
Katalin Hegedűs-Csondor,
Mia Tiljander,
Viktor Jobbágy,
Viktória Kohuth-Ötvös,
Bálint Izsák,
Márta Vargha,
Ákos Horváth,
Emese Csipa,
Mihály Óvári,
Csaba Tóbi,
Péter Völgyesi,
Krzysztof Pelczar,
Mikael Hult,
Anita Erőss
Affiliations
Petra Baják
József and Erzsébet Tóth Endowed Hydrogeology Chair and Foundation, Department of Geology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
Bence Molnár
Department of Geophysics and Space Science, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
Katalin Hegedűs-Csondor
József and Erzsébet Tóth Endowed Hydrogeology Chair and Foundation, Department of Geology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
Mia Tiljander
Circular Economic Solutions, Geological Survey of Finland, Vuorimiehentie 2K, 02150 Espoo, Finland
Viktor Jobbágy
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium
Viktória Kohuth-Ötvös
Sopron Waterwork Ltd., Bartók Béla utca 42, 9400 Sopron, Hungary
Bálint Izsák
Public Health Laboratory Department, National Public Health Center, Albert Flórián utca 2–6, 1097 Budapest, Hungary
Márta Vargha
Public Health Laboratory Department, National Public Health Center, Albert Flórián utca 2–6, 1097 Budapest, Hungary
Ákos Horváth
Department of Atomic Physics, Institute of Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
Emese Csipa
Nuclear Security Department, Centre for Energy Research, ELKH, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29–33, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
Mihály Óvári
Nuclear Security Department, Centre for Energy Research, ELKH, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29–33, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
Csaba Tóbi
Nuclear Security Department, Centre for Energy Research, ELKH, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29–33, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
Péter Völgyesi
Nuclear Security Department, Centre for Energy Research, ELKH, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29–33, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
Krzysztof Pelczar
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium
Mikael Hult
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium
Anita Erőss
József and Erzsébet Tóth Endowed Hydrogeology Chair and Foundation, Department of Geology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
Groundwater quality constantly evolves through rock–water interactions, which can enrich groundwater with undesirable elements such as naturally occurring radionuclides. The aim of this study was to understand the cause of gross alpha activity exceeding the screening value of 0.1 Bq L−1 measured in groundwater-derived drinking water in the vicinity of a metamorphic outcrop in Hungary. As groundwater quality is strongly dependent on the properties of groundwater flow systems, environmental tracers (δ2H and δ18O composition, 226Ra, 222Rn, total U activity concentration, and 234U/238U ratio) and hydraulic evaluation were applied to understand groundwater dynamics. The collected groundwater samples had total U activities up to 540 mBq L−1, which translates into an indicative dose below the drinking water parametric value. However, in the presence of dissolved uranium, the δ2H (−52.6–(−83.4)) and δ18O (−7.17–(−11.96)) values led to the conclusion that local flow systems were sampled that are known to be most vulnerable to any changes in their recharge area. The results confirm that the groundwater flow system approach involving environmental tracers and hydraulic evaluation is a powerful tool for identifying the cause of natural radioactivity in groundwater-derived drinking water.
