New Penn State Study Shows Continuous Radioactive Radium Exposure From Oil & Gas Wastewater Poses A Threat To Aquatic, Human Health As It Accumulates In Aquatic Species

A new study by Penn State researchers published in Science Direct found radioactivity from oil and gas wastewater accumulates in freshwater mussels.

The "legacy disposal of oil and gas produced water (OGPW) to surface water has led to radium contamination in streambed sediment creating a long-term radium source. 

“Increased radium activities pose a potential health hazard to benthic organisms, such as freshwater mussels, as radium is capable of bioaccumulation," according to researchers Katharina Pankratz and Dr. Nathanial R. Warner from Penn State.

The "project quantifies the impact of OGPW [oil and gas wastewater] disposal on adult freshwater mussels, Eurynia dilatata, which were examined along the Allegheny River adjacent to a centralized waste treatment facility (CWT) that historically treated and then discharged OGPW.

"Radium isotopes (226Ra and 228Ra) were measured in streambed sediment, mussel soft tissue, and mussel hard shell collected upstream, at the outfall, 0.5 km downstream, and 5 km downstream of the CWT. 

“Total radium activity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in mussel tissue (mean = 3.44 ± 0.95 pCi/g), sediment (mean = 1.45 ± 0.19 pCi/g), and hard shell (mean = 0.34 ± 0.11 pCi/g) samples 0.5 km downstream than background samples collected upstream (mean = 1.27 ± 0.24; 0.91 ± 0.09; 0.10 ± 0.02 pCi/g respectively). 

“Mussel shells displayed increased 226Ra activities up to 5 km downstream of the original discharge.”

“These characteristics lead radium to be a long-term pollution source in sediment downstream of OGPW impacted areas.

“Continuous radium exposure could pose a threat to aquatic and human health as radium becomes bioavailable and accumulates in aquatic species, such as freshwater bivalves.”

Radium, Strontium Contamination Remains

The researchers pointed out Pennsylvania currently prohibits the disposal of drilling wastewaters to surface waters from Marcellus and Utica shales, “but from 2008 to 2011 Pennsylvania streams saw disposal of a significant volume of Marcellus OGPW. 

“While disposal to surface water is no longer permitted, the historical discharge proved detrimental to water and sediment quality as the legacy radium and strontium contamination is still measurable.”

“OGPW [oil and gas wastewater] discharged to streams pose a risk to water resources even after treatment. Discharges often increased Cl− [chlorine], Sr2+ [strontium], and Ba2+ [barium] surface water concentrations significantly above drinking water and human health standards. 

“OGPW treatment in CWT [centralized water treatment] facilities often reduces radium activity by >90% before discharge to surface streams; however, even lower concentrations of radium in the discharge lead to elevated radium (up to 200 times background levels) in areas directly downstream of a CWT discharge. 

“Elevated radium activities have been seen as far as 31 km downstream of the initial discharge at 1.5 times above background levels and as deep as 30 cm near the discharge point, indicating surface disposal of OGPW changes radium activity in sediment at the watershed scale.”

Click Here to read a copy of the research article.

[Note: Other Penn State studies have found similar threats from radiation and other chemicals from wastewater generated by conventional oil and gas wells that exceed health or environmental standards.  Read more here.]

Resource Links:

-- Penn State: Fracking Wastewater Accumulation Found In Freshwater Mussel Shells  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Potential For Environmental Impacts From Spills Or Leaks Of Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste Materials Is Real; Health Dept. Not Aware Of All Chemicals In Oil & Gas Wastewater Making Risk Assessment Difficult  [PaEN]

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: We've Got Enough Compelling Evidence To Enact Health Protective Policies For Families Now  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 24 to 30 - Radiation Levels Prompt Shale Gas Wastewater Tank Decontamination; Replugging Conventional, Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reports Shale Gas Operations Sent Over 138,000 Cubic Feet Of Radioactive TENORM Waste To Low-Level Radioactive Waste Facilities For Disposal In 2022 - Over 911,000 Cubic Feet Since 2017   [PaEN]

-- Republican Rep. Krupa Introduces HB 1656 To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued Air Quality Permit For Leachate Evaporation System At Westmoreland Landfill With Special Radiation Monitoring Due To The Disposal Of Shale Gas Drilling Waste   [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases Final Guidance On Handling Radioactive Waste From Unconventional Shale Gas Drilling Operations   [PaEN]

-- Liberty Twp., Citizens Group Appeal EHB Decision On Permit For Tri-County Landfill In Mercer County Over Threats Posed By Birds, Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste   [PaEN]

-- EPA, West Virginia Officials Working To Secure Fairmount Oil & Gas Wastewater Processing Facility To Prevent Release Of Radioactive, Hazardous Materials   [PaEN]

-- Earthworks: Rolling Stone Article Links Oil & Gas Waste Radioactivity To Worker Cancers, Wastewater Trucks Operating Illegally   [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Issues $1.1 Million Civil Penalty To Equitrans For Violations Related To The Uncontrolled Venting Of 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Gas From The Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area In Cambria County  [PaEN]

-- New Penn State Study Shows Continuous Radioactive Radium Exposure From Oil & Gas Wastewater Poses A Threat To Aquatic, Human Health As It Accumulates In Aquatic Species  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: State Intervenes In Venango Water Case [Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill]  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Hearing Board Allows 2nd Appeal Of Tri-County Landfill Permit To Move Forward Over Threats Posed By Birds, Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste [PaEN]

-- Better Path Coalition Hosts April 19 Virtual Brown Bag Briefing With Justin Nobel On His New book About Radioactive Waste From The Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN]

-- CNX Completing $20 Million Fresh Water Pipeline To Serve Future Shale Gas Drilling, And Potentially Local Communities As An Alternative To The Westmoreland Municipal Authority  [PaEN] 

-- Act 14: Little Known State Law Gives Municipalities, Counties First Chance To Comment On DEP Permits Before Applications Are Submitted; Critical First Step In Public Involvement  [PaEN]

[Posted: April 8, 2024]  PA Environment Digest