ASSESSING THE SOURCE, DISTRIBUTION, AND ATTENUATION OF RADON CONTAMINATION IN FRACTURED GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS

Since the mid-2010s diagnoses of 16 cancer types, above the national prevalence rates, were reported in the rural communities of Fruithurst and Muscadine, Cleburne County, Alabama. For access to potable water, many rural communities in the area rely on private wells that draw groundwater from aquifers located in the fractured Heflin Phyllite of the Talladega Metamorphic Belt. Previous work in the area has investigated major ions, trace elements, radioactive elements, and organic compounds in well water used by cancer patients. Radon-222 concentrations in well water range from 1.3 to 8,449 pCi/L. Approximately 16% of wells have radon levels above EPA’s advisory limit, of 4,000 pCi/L. To help implement community self-directed health interventions, this study tests the efficacy of reverse osmosis and activated carbon filtration systems to reduce radon levels. This project builds upon the previous work through continued sampling and testing of water from these filtration systems, and conducting mineralogical and geochemical analysis of outcrop and core samples using x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques. The goals of this project are to better understand the effectiveness and lifespan of the filtration systems and to investigate potential geogenic sources of radon and trace elements in the groundwater.