Publication Date:
2017-04-04
Description:
Radon levels were measured in 119 groundwater samples collected throughout the active
volcanic area of Mt. Etna by means of a portable Lucas-type scintillation chamber. The measured
activity values range from 1.8 to 52.7 Bq l 1. About 40% of the samples exceed the
maximum contaminant level of 11 Bq l 1 proposed by the USEPA in 1991. The highest radon
levels are measured in the eastern sector of the volcano, which is the seismically most active
zone of the volcano. On the contrary the south-western sector, which is both seismically active
and a site of intense magmatic degassing, display lower radon levels. This is probably due to
the formation of a free gas phase (oversaturation of CO2) that strips the radon from the water.
Comparison of the data gathered at Mt. Etna with those of other areas indicates that 222Rn
activity in groundwater is positively correlated with both the content of parent elements in the
aquifer rocks and the temperature of the geothermal systems that interacts with the sampled
aquifers.
Description:
Published
Description:
187–201
Description:
partially_open
Keywords:
Groundwater
;
Radon
;
Mount Etna
;
Active volcanic areas
;
03. Hydrosphere::03.02. Hydrology::03.02.03. Groundwater processes
;
03. Hydrosphere::03.02. Hydrology::03.02.06. Water resources
;
03. Hydrosphere::03.04. Chemical and biological::03.04.03. Chemistry of waters
;
03. Hydrosphere::03.04. Chemical and biological::03.04.07. Radioactivity and isotopes
;
04. Solid Earth::04.08. Volcanology::04.08.06. Volcano monitoring
;
05. General::05.08. Risk::05.08.01. Environmental risk
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
Format:
539 bytes
Format:
841512 bytes
Format:
text/html
Format:
application/pdf
