Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Radioelement (U, Th, Rn) concentrations in Norwegian bedrock groundwaters

  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

Twenty-eight samples of groundwater from bedrock boreholes in three distinct Norwegian geological provinces have been taken and analyzed for content of Rn, U, and Th, together with a wide variety of minor and major species. Median values of 290 Bq/1, 7.6 μg/1, and 0.02 μg/1 were obtained for Rn, U, and Th respectively, while maximum values were 8500 Bq/1, 170 μg/1, and 2.2 μg/1. Commonly suggested drinking water limits range from 8 to 1000 Bq/1 for radon and 14 to 160 μg/1 for uranium. Radioelement content was closely related to lithology, the lowest concentrations being derived from the largely Caledonian rocks of the Trøndelag area, and the highest from the Precambrian Iddefjord Granite of southeast Norway (11 boreholes) where median values of 2500 Bq/1, 15 μg/1 and 0.38 μg/1, respectively, were obtained. The Iddefjord Granite is not believed to be unique in Norway in yielding high dissolved radionuclide contents in groundwaters, and several other granitic aquifers warrant further investigation in this respect.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrews JN, Ford DJ, Hussain N, Trivedi D and Youngman MJ (1989) Natural radioelement solution in circulating ground-waters in the Stripa granite. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 53:1791–1802

    Google Scholar 

  • Asikainen M and Kahlos H (1979) Anomalously high concentrations of uranium radium and radon in water from drilled wells in the Helsinki region. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 43:1681–1686

    Google Scholar 

  • AWWA (1993) AWWA calls for less stringent radon standard. IAWWA Update, March 1993

  • Ball TK, Cameron DG, Colman TB and Roberts PD (1991) Behaviour of radon in the geological environment: a review. Q J Eng Geol London 24:169–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks D, Rohr-Torp E, and Skarphagen H (1993a) Groundwater resources in hard rock; experiences from the Hvaler study, South-eastern Norway. In: Banks SB and Banks D (Eds), Hydrogeology of hard rocks. Proceedings, XXIV Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeologists. Oslo, Norway: pp 39–51

  • Banks D, Rohr-Torp E, and Skarphagen H (1993b) Groundwater chemistry in a Precambrian granite island aquifer, Hvaler, Southeastern Norway. In: Banks SB and Banks D (Eds), Hydrogeology of hard rocks. Proceedings. XXIV Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeolists. Oslo, Norway: pp 395–406

  • Banks D, Reimann C, Røyset O, Skarphagen H and Sæther OM (1995) Natural concentrations of major and trace elements in some Norwegian bedrock groundwaters. Appl Geochem 10(1) (in press)

  • Barnes AJ (1986) Water pollution control; national primary drinking water regulations; radionuclides. Federal Register 51, 189, 30/9/86. pp 34836–34862

  • Bjørlykke H (1939) Feldspat V—De sjeldne mineraler på de norske granittiske pegmatittganger [Feldspars V—uncommon minerals in Norwegian pegmatites]. Nor Geol Unders 154

  • Brookins DG (1990) The indoor radon problem. New York: Columbia University Press. 229 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen T, Ehdwall H, Hansen H, Mustonen R, and Stranden E (1990) Radioaktivitet i Norden [Radioactivity in Scandinavia]. Nordisk kontaktorgan for atomenergispørsmål. June 1990

  • Čermák V, Balling N, Della Vedova B, Lucazeau F, Pasquale V, Pellis G, Schulz R, and Verdoya M (1992) Heat flow density (atlas map 13). In: Blundell D, Freeman R, and Mueller S (Eds), A continent revealed—the European Geotraverse. New York: Cambridge University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Cothern CR (1987) Development of regulations for radionuclides in drinking water. In: Radon in groundwater. Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publishers. pp 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • DoE (1993) The householders' guide to radon, 3rd ed. Department of the Environment, UK. June 1993

  • Drever JI (1988) The geochemistry of natural waters, 2nd ed., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 437 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Engqvist P and Fogdestam B (1984) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Stockholm Län [Description to map of ground-water in Stockholm county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 6, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Franko O, Kolářová M, and Mateovic L (1985) Catalogue of dokumental points to the map of mineral waters in Czechoslovakia, 1:500,000. Dionýz štúr Institute of Geology, Bratislava/ Central Institute of Geology, Praha

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrels RM and Christ CL (1965) Solutions, minerals and equilibria. Freeman, Cooper & Co. 450 pp

  • Grønlie A (1983) Foreløpig rapport fra befaring av radiometrisk anomali i Leksvik kommune, Nord-Trøndelag [Preliminary report from investigation of a radioactive anomaly in Leksvik municipality, Nord-Trøndelag]. Nor Geol Unders report 1729/37

  • Grønlie A and Staw J (1987) Oppfø1ging av naturlige strålingsanomalier i Nord-Trøndelag med Fosen [Follow-up of natural radioactive anomalies in Nord-Trøndelag and Fosen]. Nor Geol Unders report 87.053

  • Higgo JJW, Falck WE, and Hooker PJ (1989) Sorption studies of uranium in sediment-groundwater systems from the natural analogue sites of Needle's Eye and Broubster. British Geological Survey, Fluid Processes Series, Technical Report WE/89/40

  • Jianli N, Jinkai L, Chengzhi W, and Shuquiang Q (1993) The control and protection of groundwater in fractured gneiss during coal mining. In: Banks SB and Banks D (Eds), Hydrogeology of hard rocks. Proceedings, XXIV Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeologists. Oslo, Norway: pp 259–264

  • Karlqvist L, de Geer J, Fogdestam B, and Engqvist P (1985) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Halland Län [Description to map of groundwater in Halland county], Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 8, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Killeen PG and Heier KS (1975a) A uranium and thorium enriched province of the Fennoscandian shield in southern Norway. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 39:1515–1524

    Google Scholar 

  • Killeen PG and Heier KS (1975b) Th, U, K and heat production measurements in ten Precambrian granites of the Telemark area, Norway. Nor Geol Unders 319:59–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinner NE, Quern PA, Schell GS, Lessard CE, and Clement JA (1990) Treatment technology for removing radon from small community water supplies. In: Cothern CR and Rebers P (Eds), Radon, radium and uranium in drinking water. Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publishers, pp 39–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Krauskopf KB (1979) Introduction to geochemistry, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahermo P and Juntunen R (1991) Radiogenic properties of Finnish soils and groundwaters. In: Pulkkinen E (Ed), Environmental geochemistry in northern Europe. Geological Survey of Finland, Spec. Publ. 9. pp 257–269

  • Lindahl I (1983) Classification of uranium mineralization in Norway. Nor Geol Unders 380(Bull. No. 70): 125–142

  • Michel J (1990) Relationship of radium and radon with geological formations. In: Cothern CR and Rebers P (Eds). Radon, radium and uranium in drinking water. Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publishers, pp 83–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills WA (1990) Risk assessment and control management of radon in drinking water. In: Cothern CR and Rebers P (Eds), Radon, radium and uranium in drinking water. Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publishers, pp 27–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Milvy P and Cothern CR (1990) Scientific background for the development of regulations for radionuclides in drinking water. In: Cothern CR and Rebers P (Eds), Radon, radium and uranium in drinking water. Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publishers. pp 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Mose DG, Mushrush GW, and Chrosniak C (1990a) Indoor radon and well water radon in Virginia and Maryland. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 19:952–956

    Google Scholar 

  • Mose DG, Mushrush GW, and Chrosniak C (1990b) Radioactive hazard of potable water in Virginia and Maryland. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 44:508–513

    Google Scholar 

  • Nazaroff WW, Doyle SM, Nero AV, and Sextro RG (1988) Radon entry via potable water. In: Nazaroff WW and Nero AV (Eds), Radon and its decay products in indoor air. New York: Wiley & Sons, pp 131–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson PH, Rachiele R, and Smith A (1983) Transport of radon in flowing boreholes at Stripa, Sweden. J Geophys Res 88 (B3): 2395–2405

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen-Trung C, Palmer DA, and Begun GM (1991) The role of chloride in the solubility and the transport of uranium in aqueous solutions at 25°C, 0.1 MPA. In: Selenus O (Ed), Abstracts 2nd International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry. Sver Geol Unders Rapp Meddel. No. 69, Uppsala 1991

    Google Scholar 

  • Ødegård M and Andreassen BT (1987) Methods for water analysis at the Geological Survey of Norway. In: Geomedical Consequences of Chemical Composition of Freshwater. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo, pp 133–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Pousette J, Müllern C-F, Engqvist P, and Knutsson G (1981) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Kalmar Län [Description to map of groundwater in Kalmar county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 1, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Pousette J, Fogdestam B, Gustafsson O, and Engqvist P (1983) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Blekinge Lan [Description to map of groundwater in Blekinge county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 4, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Pousette J, Müllern C-F, and Engqvist P (1984) Beskrivning till kartan over grundvattnet i Södermanlands Lan [Description to map of groundwater in Södermanlands county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 7, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Pousette J, Fogdestam B, and Engqvist P (1989) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Jönköpings Lan [Description to map of groundwater in Jönköping county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 11, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryghaug P (1984) En uran-anomali i Telemark og dennes innvirkning på radon-innholdet i drikkevann [A uranium anomaly in Telemark and its influence on the radon content of drinking water]. Vann 18(2): 10 pp

  • Salonen L (1988) Natural radionuclides in groundwater in Finland. Radiat Protec Dosim 24(1–4): 163–166

    Google Scholar 

  • SIFF (1987) Kvalitetsnormer for drikkevann [Quality norms for drinking water]. Statens institutt for folkehelse (SIFF), report Drikkevann G2, Oslo

  • Skjeseth S (1958) Uran i kambriske alunskifre i Oslofeltet og tilgrensende områder [Uranium in Cambrian Alun Shales in the Oslo area and adjoining areas]. Nor Geol Unders 203:100–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Snihs JO (1973) The content of some natural radioactive elements, especially222Rn, in some potable water in Sweden. Nord Hydrol 4:256–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Söderholm H, Fogdestam B, and Engqvist P (1987) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Kronoberg Län [Description to map of groundwater in Kronoberg county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 10, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorg TJ (1990) Removal of uranium from drinking water by conventional treatment methods. In: Cothern CR and Rebers P (Eds), Radon, radium and uranium in drinking water. Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publishers, pp 173–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Statens Strålevern (1994) Handlingsplan for det videre arbeidet med radon i Norge [Action plan for further work with radon in Norway]. Report to the Norwegian Ministry of Health, March 1994. 37 pp

  • Statens Strålskyddsinstitut (1993) Radon 1993—En rapport över läget [Radon 1993-a status report]. Report 93-10, Stockholm 97 pp

  • Strålsäkerhetscentralen (1993) Radioaktivitet i hushållsvatten [Radioactivity in household water]. Directive ST 12.3, draft of 9.8.93. Strålsäkerhetscentralen, Helsinki

  • Strand T and Lind B (1992) Radon in tap water from drilled wells in Noway. In: Proceedings, International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, 22–25/9/92, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Strand T, Kolstad AK, and Lind B (1988) Radon i norske horigeren oppsummering av måleresultatene med ETB-metoden i perioden 1984–1987 [Radon in Norwegian houses—a summary of measurements with the ETB method in the period 1984–1987]. Statens Institutt for Strålehygiene (SIS), Østerås, Norway, Report 1988:6. 5 pp

  • Strand T, Green BMR, Lomas PR, Magnus K, and Stranden E (1991) Radon i norske boliger [Radon in Norwegian homes]. Statens Institutt for Strålehygiene (SIS), østerås, Norway, Report 1991:3. 24 pp + tables

  • Strand T, Green BMR, and Lomas PR (1992) Radon in Norwegian dwellings. Radiat Protec Dosim 45(1–4): 503–508

    Google Scholar 

  • Swedjemark GA (1993) Radon och radium i vatten. Underlag för bestämmelser. [Radon and radium in water. Basis for directives]. Statens Strålskyddsinstitut report 93–34, Stockholm. 10 pp

  • Ulbak K and Klinder O (1984) Radium and radon in Danish drinking water. Radiat Protec Dosim 7(1–4): 87–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Wikner T, Fogdestam B, Carlstedt A, and Engqvist P (1991) Beskrivning till kartan över grundvattnet i Skaraborg Län [Description to map of groundwater in Skaraborg county]. Sver Geol Unders Ser Ah, No. 9, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1984) Guidelines for drinking water quality; recommendations, vol. 1. Geneva

  • Zikovsky L and Chah B (1990) The lognormal distribution of radon in groundwater. Ground Water 28(5): 673–676

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. D. Banks

    Present address: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Sheffield, Dainton Building, 53 7HF, Brookhill, Sheffield, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse (Geological Survey of Norway), Postboks 3006-Lade, N7002, Trondheim, Norway

    D. Banks

  2. Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (Norwegian Institute for Air Research), Postboks 64, N2001, Lillestrøm, Norway

    O. Røyset

  3. Statens Strålevern (Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority), Postboks 55, N1345, Østerås, Norway

    T. Strand

  4. Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse (Geological Survey of Norway), Postboks 5348-Majorstua, N0304, Oslo, Norway

    H. Skarphagen

Authors
  1. D. Banks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. Røyset
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. Strand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. H. Skarphagen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Banks, D., Røyset, O., Strand, T. et al. Radioelement (U, Th, Rn) concentrations in Norwegian bedrock groundwaters. Geo 25, 165–180 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00768546

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00768546

Key words

Search

Navigation