Radium in waste water from coal mines and other sources in the Federal Republic of Germany

A research project was set up to investigate radium emissions from all coal mines in the Federal Republic of Germany as well as from other sources that are potential radium emitters, e.g. phosphate fertilizer industry. Until now concentrations from less than 1 pCi/l up to a few hundred pCi/l of radium 226 have been found. The emissions calculated from these data range from 1 mCi and less to 1 Ci per year. Due to the chemical composition of the waste water from mines a large fraction of the radium emitted is bound to sediments in the receiving water body, which are spread on pastures by yearly floods. Results of the investigations and the implications for an evaluation of risks are discussed and compared with the radiological consequences of radium concentrations in tap water and bottled waters