PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 37: Toxicology and Disease
Thursday, August 11, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Assessment of uranium levels in groundwater in Church Rock Chapter of Navajo Nation.

George, Christine ^*,1, ¹ Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305

ABSTRACT- Exposure to uranium via drinking water is known to cause kidney failure, uranium compounds are filtered by the kidneys, where they can cause damage to the kidney cells. Uranium content of unregulated groundwater wells was measured in Church Rock Chapter of Navajo Nation in New Mexico. This region contains naturally occurring uranium oxide ore deposits, and was heavily mined until the 1980s. These unregulated wells were used for human and domestic consumption. There is, however, limited information on uranium contents in these wells. Therefore, the objectives of our research were to assess human exposure to uranium and provide information to local administration. Water samples were collected from hand pump wells in Church Rock Chapter in winter 2004. The water samples were then run using an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). The uranium levels of all the wells were found to exceed EPA water quality standards of 30 ug/L. The wells closest to mining sites had the highest U levels. These results suggest that water in wells in the area is unsafe for human and domestic consumptions.

Key words: uranium, Navajo Nation, Church Rock Chapter, groundwater wells