Study of uranium mobilization from Himalayan Siwaliks to the Malwa region of Punjab state in India

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 308; no. 3; pp. 913 - 918
• Main Authors: Patnaik, R., Lahiri, S., Chahar, V., Naskar, N., Sharma, P. K., Avhad, D. K., Bassan, M. K. T., Knolle, F., Schnug, E., Srivastava, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-06-2016; Springer
• Subjects: Background radiation; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diagnostic Radiology; Fossils; Groundwater; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry; Sedimentary rocks; Sediments (Geology); Uranium; India; India, Punjab; Malwa in Punjab state; Uranium; Palaeosols; Fossils; Ground water; Gamma ray spectrometry
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-015-4578-3

Fossils, palaeosols and associated sedimentary rock samples from well-dated Siwalik sediments have been measured for their uranium content by low background gamma ray spectrometry with a view to study the role of geo-genic mobilization in enhancing the levels of uranium in ground water bodies of Malwa region in Punjab state, North Western India. Uranium activity in pure palaeosol and palaeosol associated samples i.e. calcrete and nodules varied between 46 and 214 Bq/kg whereas the same in pure fossil samples varied between 208 and 4837 Bq/kg. The data indicates a geo-genic contribution in the enhancement of uranium concentration in groundwater of the region.