Abstract
Produced water separated from oil is usually returned to the environment and could permeate through the water table. If such water is contaminated with radioactive substances, it could create a definite threat to the water supply, especially in arid regions where ground water and overhead streams are sources of potable water. Low-level radioactive contamination of oily sludge is equally hazardous and also leads to detrimental pollution of water resources. We investigated the distribution of 226Ra, 40K and 228Ac in produced waste water and oily sludge and found abnormal levels of radioactivity. A total of 90 ground wastewater samples were collected from different sites for a period of one year. The presence of these radionuclides was identified by their characteristic gamma rays. The detection system consisted of a high-purity germanium detector. Our results show that about 20% of the samples exhibited 20–60 Bq/L radioactivity and ~6% of the samples exceeded 60 Bq/L. Roughly 70% of the experimental samples fell in the range of 2–20 Bq/L, which still exceeded the maximum admissible drinking-water limit 0.2 Bq/L.
Highlights
In desert regions water is precious, and the demand for good quality water is rapidly increasing.Most areas rely heavily on overhead streams and underground supplies to feed livestock and for domestic purposes [1]
Waste water extracted from oil is usually chemically treated and returned to the environment, it is one of the most significant sources of ground water pollution, especially if it has elevated levels of natural radioactivity [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
If waste water disposed of in the environment finds its way into aquifers (Figure 1), it could pollute the water table
Summary
In desert regions water is precious, and the demand for good quality water is rapidly increasing. Waste water extracted from oil is usually chemically treated and returned to the environment, it is one of the most significant sources of ground water pollution, especially if it has elevated levels of natural radioactivity [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. The radioactivity could concentrate in slow moving water bodies and persist for many years, eventually posing a lethal threat to the ecosystem This threat to sustainable development is our primary concern. If we know beforehand the level of radioactivity of the dumped water, the potential hazard can be conveniently assessed and averted This is relatively cost-effective as regular groundwater is usually monitored by drilling wells and analyzing samples from the wells for contaminants. Our primary objectives were to: (i) evaluate the potential impact of radioactive contamination on the environment; and (ii) suggest possible procedures for remediation
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