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Understanding and modeling of the vertical downward migration of 238U within the soil profile of south-western (SW) Punjab, India

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Abstract

The vertical downward migration of 238U in soils collected from south-western Punjab was studied from the depth distributions using the diffusion–convection model. The time-dependent convective rates (ν) of 238U were found to be in the order of 10−7–10−4 cm year−1, whereas under the assumption of steady state (time-independent), values were in the order of 10−5–10−4 cm year−1. However, the diffusion rates (D) were in the order of 10−6–10−3 cm2 year−1 and under the steady state, values obtained to be relatively higher as 0.002–0.70 cm2 year−1. These values were within the range of reported literature values.

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Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely acknowledge the guidance, help and constant encouragement provided by Dr. K. S. Pradeepkumar, Associate Director, H, S & E Group, BARC, Mumbai. The authors are also grateful for the financial support given by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, under the special project for noticeable anomalies of uranium in brackish groundwater of SW Punjab.

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  1. Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, India

    A. Kumar, S. Rout, M. Pandey, D. G. Mishra, M. K. Mishra, P. M. Ravi & R. M. Tripathi

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  1. A. Kumar
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  2. S. Rout
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  3. M. Pandey
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  4. D. G. Mishra
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Correspondence to A. Kumar.

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Kumar, A., Rout, S., Pandey, M. et al. Understanding and modeling of the vertical downward migration of 238U within the soil profile of south-western (SW) Punjab, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308, 1043–1053 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4549-8

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