Environmental Isotopes as a Useful Tool for Studies at Mixed Uranium Mill Tailings Sites

Abstract

Groundwaters in the area of a mixed landfill (domestic waste above uranium mill tailings) in Dresden (Saxony, Germany) were investigated for their isotope signatures to distinguish between different groundwater types. To determine between the two contamination sources (waste and uranium mill tailings) a multi parameter interpretation was done using both, the main hydrochemical parameters the radionuclides ²³⁴U, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra and ²²²Rn as well as the environmental isotopes of the elements hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur and carbon.

The seepage water from the landfill shows higher δ³⁴S, δ¹⁸O and tritium values as the inflow. The tritium values give an idea about water movement in the dump and mean residence time of the groundwater. The water in the dump shows varying δ¹³C values which indicate different processes occurring in the dump.