Evaluation of groundwater discharge into surface water by using Radon-222 in the Source Area of the Yellow River, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Peng Yi; Huan Luo; Li Chen; Zhongbo Yu; Huijun Jin; Xiaobing Chen; Chengwei Wan; Ala Aldahan; Minjie Zheng; Qingfang Hu

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.07.003

Evaluation of groundwater discharge into surface water by using Radon-222 in the Source Area of the Yellow River, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

J Environ Radioact. 2018 Dec:192:257-266. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.07.003. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Authors

Peng Yi¹, Huan Luo², Li Chen³, Zhongbo Yu⁴, Huijun Jin⁵, Xiaobing Chen², Chengwei Wan², Ala Aldahan⁶, Minjie Zheng⁷, Qingfang Hu⁸

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, China; State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soils Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: harry08521@gmail.com.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: harry08521@163.com.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soils Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
⁶ Department of Geology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
⁷ Department of Geology, Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, Lund, 22362, Sweden.
⁸ State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China.

PMID: 29986317
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.07.003

Abstract

Understanding hydrological processes in the Source Area of the Yellow River (SAYR), Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is vital for protection and management of groundwater and surface water resources in the region. In situ water measurements of exchange rates between surface water and groundwater are, however, hard to conduct because of the harsh natural conditions of the SAYR. We here present an indirect method using in situ ²²²Rn measurements to estimate groundwater discharge into rivers and lakes in the SAYR. ²²²Rn was measured in rivers, lakes, groundwater and springs during three sampling periods (2014-2016), and the results indicate large variability in the concentration of the isotope. The data also indicate decreasing ²²²Rn trends in groundwater in the cold season (the Feb-2015 sampling period) which may be linked to frequency of capturing ²²²Rn in the frozen ground caused by geocryogenic processes. In addition, permafrost spatial extent and freeze-thaw processes have strongly affected the hydrological conditions in the region.

Keywords: (222)Rn; Groundwater; Source Area of the Yellow river (SAYR); Surface water.

MeSH terms

Groundwater / chemistry*
Hydrology
Radiation Monitoring*
Radon / analysis*
Rivers / chemistry*
Tibet
Water Movements
Water Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*

Substances

Water Pollutants, Radioactive
Radon