The contamination is coming from the disposal of conventional, or non-fracked, oil and gas wastewater, which, under current state regulations, can still be treated and discharged to local streams.
"It’s not only fracking fluids that pose a risk; produced water from conventional, or non-fracked, oil and gas wells also contains high levels of radium, which is a radioactive element. Disposal of this wastewater causes an accumulation of radium on the stream sediments that decays over time and converts into other radioactive elements," said Avner Vengosh, professor of geochemistry and water quality at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.
The level of radiation found in stream sediments at the disposal sites was about 650 times higher than radiation in upstream sediments. In some cases, it even exceeded the radioactivity level that requires disposal only at federally designated radioactive waste disposal sites. "Our analysis confirms that this accumulation of radioactivity is derived from the disposal of […]
Full article: Radioactivity from oil and gas wastewater persists in Pennsylvania stream sediments
New study examines impacts of fracking on water supplies worldwide
Oil and gas wastewater radioactivity persists in Pennsylvania stream sediments
Pennsylvania watershed contaminated with radioactive material and endocrine-disrupting chemicals
5 Million Gallons of Freshwater Used to Frack Just One Well
Fracking Is Dangerous To Your Health — Here’s Why
Penn State study: Spraying brine from drilling, fracking on roadways is hazardous
Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, speaks to staff from Trout Unlimited, NOAA…
Photo Credit: iStock The lake supports nearly 300 species of birds, mammals, and fish, as…
Map: A 3D view with basemap transparency adjusted to show underground wells, with filtering by…
As part of SF Climate Week, KQED’s Danielle Venton sat down with the California Secretary…
JT Chevallier and JB Harris operate BEBOT during a demo on Tallac Beach, June 15,…
The Biden administration announced new protections for millions of acres of wetlands, which are essential…