Alpha particles in city tap water, what should I do?

[lostnfound]

Our city's newspaper has had recent articles saying that alpha particles are being found in significant amounts in various parts of the city. Apparently alpha particles can cause cancer once ingested and are considered the worst radionucleotide to have in your water. With a child at home, this is an unacceptable risk. So we are talking about a large bottled water dispenser (the kind that gets delivered). I wondered what other choices there might be. I read that Reverse Osmosis systems are effective at eliminating alpha particles, but I also read that they waste huge amounts of water.
Our water is REALLY hard here, also; it would be nice to do something about that.
What is the most environmental responsible choice?

[old mark]

1. We used to use a filter on the cold water tap in our kitchen - we have high mineral concentrations,

including lead and several industrial chemicals. We filtered all water for drinking and cooking as well as for the pets use. After several years, we had a large filter system installed under the sink. Our filters are the PUR brand, and they are very effective and last for months. You can get them at Lowe's or other home supply stores.

mark

[FBaggins]

2. Uranium in drinking water is not uncommon...

... and the chemical toxicity is of more concern than the radiation.

But it may not be a concern. Did they tell you how much there was?

If the levels are high, a normal household filter isn't going to get the job done. You need an anion exchange or reverse osmosis system. But the county should be able to do something centrally if there's a real concern.

[caraher]

3. Here's some advice from Maryland

Tips for dealing with radium in drinking water.

Incidentally, to say there are alpha particles in the water sounds weird to people with physics training. Alpha particles are just energetic helium nuclei, and are harmful only because of their high energy. They tend to be the result of nuclear decay, and remediation isn't about removing the alpha particles, but removing the radioactive elements that are the source of the alphas (usually radium).

[FBaggins]

4. You won't find many here with physics training.

It would get in the way of all the claims that depleted uranium is a WMD, anything with the word "nuclear" in it is really the same thing as Chernobyl, etc.

[CJvR]

5. Depleted uranium is a WMD

I have heard it argued that it is in fact a radiological WMD.

[FBaggins]

7. And what you've "heard argued" is complete nonsense.

DU is in no way a WMD... particularly from a radiological standpoint.

The stuff is incredibly dangerous in precisely the same way it is intended to be... (i.e., when received at high velocity).

But thanks for proving my point. :)

[One_Life_To_Give]

8. Me thinks DU is definately a WMD

"Weapon of Moran Destruction"

:silly:

[CJvR]

9. Sorry.

I should have put <sarcasm> tags on that post.

[NickB79]

10. From a physics standpoint, there is no way depleted uranium could be a radiological weapon

That's why it's known as "depleted" uranium; it has been depleted of the more radioactive uranium isotopes useful for weapons and reactors.

However, it could be dangerous as a heavy metal poison in the same way that high concentrations of lead is.

[Odin2005]

14. DepU is dangerous because it's a heavy metal, it's radiation levels are very tiny.

It's half-life is 4.5 billion years, so there is not much radiation.

[FBaggins]

17. Yet another example of things they don't get.

How often do you see a post that declares that a substance is dangerously radioactive and then goes on to point out that the danger will be with us forever because it has a half life in the hundreds of thousands of years?

[txlibdem]

15. "anything with the word nuclear in it..."

So true. So true! I sometimes laugh at the idiocy of anti-nuke fanatics, when I am not shaking my head in disbelief that they can feed themselves that is.

[CJvR]

6. Find out what is radiating.

It could be Radon, the next step on the alpha decay chain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radon

http://resources.cas.psu.edu/WaterResources/pdfs/radon.pdf

[jimlup]

11. As a physicist this thread has me chuckling.

Saying that there are alpha particles in your water is saying that there is helium in your water. That might make you talk like Donald Duck but it wouldn't be harmful. I think what you are saying is that your water emits alpha particles and that must be from a heavy element like uranium or radon.

Depleted uranium is an alpha emitter. Not a strong one, but it is somewhat radioactive. The half-life of U238 is quite long but not infinite. It decays via alpha in 4.46 billion years. If the contamination in your water is DU then I'd expect it would be much more toxic as a heavy metal than as an alpha source. I wouldn't want to sleep with a hunk of DU (because it is a weak alpha source) but it can be handled without significant worry. Basically, it's toxicity is the same as lead unless you are playing in and around it all the time like some kids in Iraq.

[NNadir]

12. Generally an activated carbon filter will remove radium and radon from your water.

I live on the Reading Pronge in Western New Jersey, a large uranium formation.

I have a well - and significant radon - sometimes exceeding (slightly) the action level.

I have installed a carbon filter on my water supply. It is wise to put a reverse osmosis system in the line as well to prevent the filter from becoming clogged itself.

The filter should be replaced annually.

Another option would be to move to intergalactic space, but you might find a cosmic ray problem out there.

[Odin2005]

13. A carbon water filter spould remove any radiation-emmiting particulates.

It's probably from plain old uranium eroded from rocks and dissolved in the water. Any place with granite bedrock will have higher natural radiation levels.

[txlibdem]

16. If it is radon you might think about getting a few radon detectors

Just to be on the safe side, ya know, since there are children in the home...