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Research Article

Occurrence of Uranium-238 and Rn-222 in Groundwater and Its Relationship with Helium Isotope

지하수 내 우라늄-238 및 라돈-222 산출과 헬륨 동위원소와의 상관성 연구

Chan Ho Jeong1
,
Yu Jin Lee2*
,
Yong Cheon Lee2*
,
Jin Woo Hong3
,
Cheon Hwan Kim3
,
Keisuke Nagao4
,
Young-Seog Kim5
,
Tae-Seob Kang5
정 찬호1
,
이 유진2*
,
이 용천2*
,
홍 진우3
,
김 천환3
,
Nagao Keisuke4
,
김 영석5
,
강 태섭5
1Professor, Department of Construction Safety and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Daejeon University
2Ph.D. Student, Department of Construction Safety and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Daejeon University
3Master Student, Department of Construction Safety and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Daejeon University
4Researcher, Division of Polar Earth System Science, Korea Polar Research Institute
5Professor, Department of Geological Environmental, Pukyong National University
1대전대학교 건설안전방재공학과 교수
2대전대학교 건설안전방재공학과 박사과정
3대전대학교 건설안전방재공학과 석사과정
4한국해양과학기술원 극지지구시스템연구부 연구원
5부경대학교 지구환경과학과 교수
*Corresponding Author
31 December 2021. pp. 659-669
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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationship between occurrence of natural radioactive materials such as 238U and 222Rn and original mixing ratio of helium isotope of groundwater from various geology, and to suggest the underground aquifer environment from helium original mixing data. 9 groundwater samples were collected from five study areas, and 238U, Rn-222 and helium isotope were analyzed. A high 238U content of the range of 218~477 µg/L in the groundwater occurs in the two-mica granite. 4He air-crust mixing ratio and the Rn-222 content show a rough relation, that is, Rn-222 content increases according to the increase of 4He crust mixing ratio. Because of helium and radon are an inert gas, their behavior in underground environment is assumed as an analogous. The 238U content and He isotope in groundwater does not show any distinct correlation. The groundwater can be classified as three groups (air, air-crust mixing, crust-mantle mixing origin) on the diagram of 3He/4He vs 4He/20Ne, which is composed of original mixing line from air-crust-mantle end members. This original mixing of helium can provide the information of underground aquifer characteristic such as the connection with surface environment or isolation condition from air environment.

Keywords
U-238
Rn-222
He isotope
two-mica granite
air-crust helium mixing ratio

본 연구는 다양한 지질의 지하수(대전, 청원, 춘천, 이천, 괴산 지역) 내 우라늄-238 및 라돈-222와 같은 자연방사성물질의 산출과 헬륨 동위원소와의 상관성을 해석하고, 헬륨의 기원별 혼합비를 분석하여 대수층의 지표환경과의 연관성을 추론하고자 하였다. 이를 위하여 연구지역에서 9개의 지하수 시료를 채취하여 우라늄-238, 라돈-222, 3He/4He 동위원소를 분석하였다. 분석결과 복운모화강암 지역의 지하수에서 우라늄-238의 농도가 218~477 µg/L의 범위로 높은 함량을 보여주었다. 지하수의 4He 대기-지각 혼합비와 라돈-222 함량과는 상관성 있는 경향을 보여준다. 즉, 지각기원 4He비가 높을수록 라돈의 함량이 높은 경향을 보인다. 그러나 헬륨과 우라늄-238과의 상관성은 거의 보여주지 않는다. 헬륨과 라돈은 불활성기체이므로 지하환경에서 거의 유사한 거동을 보이는 반면, 무기이온인 우라늄-238과 불활성기체인 헬륨은 그들의 거동 자체가 다르기 때문이다. 대기-지각-맨틀 기원의 헬륨 혼합비를 보여주는 3He/4He vs 4He/20Ne 상관관계도에서 지하수는 3개의 그룹(대기, 대기-지각혼합, 지각-맨틀 혼합)으로 구분된다. 연구결과는 헬륨의 기원별 혼합비를 통하여 지하수 대수층의 환경과 지표환경과의 상관성 해석을 위한 도구로 활용될 수 있음을 시사한다.

키워드
우라늄-238
라돈-222
헬륨 동위원소
복운모화강암
대기-지각 헬륨 혼합비
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Engineering Geology
  • Publisher(Ko) :대한지질공학회
  • Journal Title :The Journal of Engineering Geology
  • Journal Title(Ko) :지질공학
  • Volume : 31
  • No :4
  • Pages :659-669
  • Received Date : 2021-12-10
  • Revised Date : 2021-12-13
  • Accepted Date : 2021-12-14
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.9720/kseg.2021.4.659
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