Concentration of uranium in groundwater and its correlation with the gamma activity of primordial radionuclides in the bedrock samples: A study from northeastern part of Bengaluru city, India

Abstract

The present investigation aims to study the incorporation of uranium from the bedrock to groundwater through leaching. In view of this, rock powder samples were collected in the form of slurry from the bedrock of freshly drilled borewells of the study area. The rock powder and the supernatant were separated. The gamma activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides-238U (226Ra), 232Th, and 40K in the rock powder samples were measured using HP-Ge gamma-ray spectrometer. The supernatant was analyzed for the concentration of Unatusing laser-induced fluorimeter. A strong positive correlation was observed between the concentration of uranium in the rock powder and the corresponding concentration in the water samples indicating the possible leaching of uranium from the bedrock to groundwater under favorable conditions.

Keywords

• Bengaluru
• bedrock
• hyperpure-ge detector
• laser fluorimeter
• radiation dose
• radioisotopes