Abstract
Erosion of the Edale shales of Derbyshire during the Tertiary and Quaternary has resulted in sediment deposits in and on the underlying karstified limestones. Sorting during sedimentation has generated clay-rich sediments which are uranium enriched due to a clay association of uranium in the shales. Radon production in these sediments is at or close to equilibrium with their uranium content, and their fine grain-size ensures efficient radon release. Such sediments are therefore potent local sources of environmental radon.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrews, J.N. and Lee, D.J. 1979. Inert gases in groundwater from the Bunter Sandstone of England as indicators of age and paleoclimatic trends. J. Hydrol., 41, 233–252.
Andrews, J.N. and Wood, D.F. 1972. Mechanism of Rn release in rock matrices and entry into groundwaters. Trans. Inst. Min. Metall., B81, 198–209.
Andrews, J.N., Drimmie, R.J., Loosli, H.H. and Hendry, M.J. 1991. Dissolved gases in the Milk River aquifer, Alberta, Canada. Appl. Geochem., 6, 393–403.
Ball, T.K., Cameron, D.G., Colman, T.B. and Roberts, P.D. 1991a. Behaviour of Rn in the geological environment, a review. Quart. J. Eng. Geol., 24, 169–182.
Ball, T.K., Cameron, D.G. and Colman, T.B. 1991b. Aspects of Rn potential mapping in Britain. Radiation Protection Dosimetry (in press).
BEIR IV. 1988. Health risks of Rn and other internally deposited α-emitters. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.
Bottrell, S.H. 1991. Rn production and release from cave sediments. Trans. Brit. Cave Res. Assoc., 18, 79–82.
Bottrell, S.H. (In prep). The mineralogy and chemistry of sediments from Speedwell Cavern and constraints on the origin and transport of sediment. Trans. Brit. Cave Res. Assoc. (submitted).
Bridges, B.A., Cole, I., Arlett, C.F., Green, M.H.L., Waugh, A.P.W., Bear, D., Henshaw, D.L. and Last, R.D. 1991. Lancet, 337, 1187–1189.
Clarke, R.H. and Southwood, T.R.E. 1989. Risks from ionising radiation. Nature, 338, 197–198.
Gascoyne, M. 1982. Geochemistry of the actinides and their daughters. In: M. Ivanovich and R.S. Harmon (eds), U Series Disequilibrium: Application to Environmental Problems. Oxford University Press.
Hand, B.J. and Banikowski, J.E. 1988. Rn in Onondaga County, New York: paleohydrology and redistribution of U in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Geology, 16, 775–778.
Hughes, J.S., Shaw, K.B. and O'Riordan, M.C. 1988. The Radiation Exposure of the UK Population —1988 Review. NRPB, Chilton, UK.
Nazaroff, W.W. and Nero, A.V. 1984. Transport of Rn from soil into residences. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Vol.2, pp. 137–140, Stockholm.
Semkow, T.M. 1990. Recoil-emanation theory applied to Rn release from mineral grains. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta.,54, 425–440.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bottrell, S.H. Redistribution of uranium by physical processes during weathering and implications for radon production. Environ Geochem Health 15, 21–25 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146289
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146289