Hydrogeology & Hydrology Program
Radium in Ground Water	contact: David Bolton (dbolton@mgs.md.gov)

Recommendations for Future Study:

The data from this study has provided information on the distribution and occurrence of radium and gross alpha-particle and gross beta-particle activity in the Magothy Formation and Potomac Group aquifers in the upper Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. Additional data are needed in order to understand the details of radium occurrence and mobilization in these aquifers. The following areas of investigation are recommended:

1. Determine the distribution of uranium, thorium, and other radionuclides within the aquifer materials. Both the regional distribution of these elements and their distribution in the aquifer minerals need to be determined.

2. Investigate the cation-exchange capacity and amount of exchangeable cations in the aquifer materials to determine the relation between these factors and radium concentrations in ground water.

3. Evaluate the relative importance of the various sources contributing to TDS of ground water. Site-specific studies of the effects of septic-system effluent, water-softener backflushing, and de-icing salts on radium mobilization would be useful. A comparative study of radionuclides in targeted land-use settings would be helpful.

4. Analyze the processes responsible for generating low-pH ground water in Anne Arundel County. The highest radionuclide concentrations were found in areas where well-water pH is typically less than 4.0.

5. Assess the radionuclide concentrations in wells located near other upland dredged material facilities in Maryland.

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updated 3/3/05