Pennsylvania groundwater study links gas drilling to radium levels

A study by Penn State researchers suggests a link between natural gas extraction and increased salt levels in groundwater in southwestern Pennsylvania. Higher salinity levels appear to facilitate the leaching of naturally occurring radium from underground rocks into drinking water sources.

Researchers analyzed 91 private wells and springs in Washington and Greene counties, located at varying distances from unconventional drilling sites. The findings indicated that water sources closer to drilling operations generally exhibited higher salt content, which in turn correlated with increased radium concentrations. Radium is a radioactive element that can pose cancer risks because it behaves like calcium in the human body, depositing in bones and releasing radiation that damages cells.

Despite these correlations, the study noted that the impact is not widespread. Only six of the 91 samples showed potential signs of contamination associated with fracking. Furthermore, every radium measurement collected during the study remained within the legal limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).