Radium-226 and radon-222 in domestic water of Houston-Harris County, Texas

This study showed that anomalous concentrations of Ra-226 and Rn-222 exist in parts of the upper Texas Gulf Coast. While all factors influencing the distribution and fate of pollutants in underground porous media might not be easy to measure or even identify, often the very expectation of this great complexity prevents one from observing patterns that otherwise might be quite helpful. The findings summarized in this communication present an encouraging picture for predicting depths and locations in the Gulf Coast where elevated Ra and Rn concentrations may be encountered. Two to four key variables accounted for the statistically significant variation (from 38 to 74 percent) in concentrations observed under field conditions