234U and 238U concentration in brine from geopressured aquifers of the northern Gulf of Mexico basin

T. F. Kraemer

doi:10.1016/0012-821x(81)90128-x

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234U and 238U concentration in brine from geopressured aquifers of the northern Gulf of Mexico basin

T. F. Kraemer

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Abstract

The 234 U and 238 U concentration in brine from six Gulf Coast geopressured aquifers has been determined. The results reveal very low uranium concentrations (from 0.003 to 0.03 μg/l) and uranium activity ratios slightly greater than unity (from 1.06 to 1.62). Reducing conditions within the aquifers are responsible for the low uranium concentrations. The uranium activity ratios observed are well below those calculated using theoretical considerations of alpha-particle recoil effects. This can be explained by interference with alpha-recoil nuclides entering the liquid phase as a result of quartz overgrowths on sand grains and high-temperature re-equilibration that tends to minimize the effects of the alpha-recoil process. The fact that the uranium activity ratios of the brines are slightly greater than unity instead of the equilibrium value of 1.000 indicates that either the alpha particle recoil blocking and re-equlibration effects are not complete or that another process is operative that enriches the fluid in excess 234 U by selectively removing uranium from radiation induced damage sites in the mineral (sand grain) matrix.

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Earth and Planetary Science Letters Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 28.14742599102705° to 31.351625088533893° latitude; -97.11787630313074° to -89.03193880313059° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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T. F. Kraemer. 1981. 234U and 238U concentration in brine from geopressured aquifers of the northern Gulf of Mexico basin. https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821x(81)90128-x

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