Reducing the radioactivity of natural water, used for drinking purposes

Abstract For some industrial facilities located far beyond the urban infrastructure, as well as remote small settlements, there is a problem with suitable drinking water. If there is underground formation water in such areas, the optimal solution is to supply water from a well. In addition to possible contamination, well water quite often has increased alpha and beta activity, which is the most dangerous type of radioactivity when ingested into the body. The presence of natural radioactivity in water is determined by the content of 238U, 232Th or its daughter radionuclides. Several remote villages that use groundwater sources were selected to conduct initial laboratory tests. Moreover, the level of radioactivity in this water exceeds sanitary standards. When purifying water from radioactivity, two types of filtration were used: using activated carbon and using ion exchange resin. In the first case, primary filtration occurs from part of the dangerous radiation and from the daughter products of the decay of 222Rn, in the second case, water is purified from alpha and beta radiation to background values of high-quality drinking water. Both filter elements absorb heavy metals and radionuclides, and hazardous substances accumulate on the filters. As a result of these processes, the following problem arises: high radioactivity from filter elements used for a long time. If there is high radioactivity level from used filters, their disposal at ordinary landfills for household waste is prohibited. To prevent the accumulation of dangerous radionuclides in the filter elements and to periodically clean them, this article provides the original scheme for filtering well water.