Radioactivity in Fracking Fluid

Hydrofracking and Exposure to Ionizing RadioactivityDavid O. Carpenter, MDInstitute for Health and the EnvironmentUniversity at AlbanyWe are all Exposed to RadiationRadioactive elements are a part of the make-up of the earth, and they are present at low levels in the water, food and air. Sunlight contains ionizing radiation, and life on earth would not be possible without sunlight.Many medical procedures that save lives use radiation to diagnose diseases.

Why Should We Be Concerned?

Radioactivity is a proven human carcinogen.Radioactivity causes damage to DNA resulting in birth defects.In both animals and people, exposure to radioactivity shortens life span.Radioactivity produces free radicals, otherwise known as reactive oxygen species, and these are thought to be the cause of most cellular damage.

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Radium 226 and 228Radioactive elements like uranium, thorium and radium occur naturally in rock, but are at higher concentrations some places than others. These radionucleotides are called Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). Radium is water soluble, and can be found at high concentration in fracking fluids. Thorium and uranium are less water soluble but can come to the surface in drilling waste and as particulates during fracking. These elements behave similarly to calcium, and bioaccumulate in human bones and teeth. They can lead to bone and other cancers like leukemia.Ra-226 has a half life of 1,600 years, while Ra-228 has a half life of 5.74 years.Ra-226 and Ra-228 are the parents of radon gas, with a half-life of 3.8 days.

Fracking WellsThere are many vertical wells already in New York. These are typically 1500-3000 feet deep. Horizontal hydraulic fracturing wells frequently go down to 6000 feet.From 1 to 5 million gallons of water are required per well for the initial fracturing, and up to 12 million gallons over the lifetime of the well. Between 10 and 40% of the water returns to the surface, containing salts, chemicals and radioactivity.Radioactivity in Fracking FluidPrevious studies have shown that there is a positive correlation between salinity (TDS) and total radium activity in various shales (Fisher, 2001). Salinity in the Marcellus Shale frequently is greater than 100,000 mg/L.Produced water samples from the Marcellus Shale are enriched in radium to a statistically significant degree (p