Variations in 234U/238U activity ratios in groundwater—A key to flow system characterisation?

Uranium isotopes in groundwater from the continental intercalaire aquifer in Algerian Tunisian Sahara (Northern Africa)

“…However, in several studies (Osmond et al, 1968;Meyer,1989;Banner et al,1991;Roback et al,1997;Suski et al, 2001;Dabous and Osmond, 2001;Suksi et al, 2006;Bonotto, 2006), uranium series disequilibria successfully help in the description of aquifer processes. The main result of these investigations was to classify aquifers on steady state, augmenting or decaying systems in terms of dissolved uranium content value and in term of 234 U/ 238 U activity ratio values.…”

“…The main result of these investigations was to classify aquifers on steady state, augmenting or decaying systems in terms of dissolved uranium content value and in term of 234 U/ 238 U activity ratio values. Specific data analyses also help to refine groundwater mixing processes (Suski et al, 2001;Suksi et al, 2006).…”

Fractionation of natural radionuclides in soils from the vicinity of a former uranium mine Žirovski vrh, Slovenia

“…According to Bourdon et al (2003), Adloff and Rö ssler (1991) and Suksi et al (2006), the reason for 234 U/ 238 U disequilibrium is (1) recoil effect, which induces ejection of decay product from a particle into its environment, and (2) increased mobility of a decay product due to subsequent oxidation of 234 U in zones which are not close to phase boundary.…”

Uranium-Series Disequilibria in the Groundwater of the Shihongtan Sandstone-Hosted Uranium Deposit, NW China

“…The solubility of U in the groundwater is very sensitive to changes in redox conditions. The position of the reducing barrier in an active aquifer is important when prospecting for this type of U deposit as well because 234 U/ 238 U can be used as a natural groundwater tracer [15,19].…”