Natural gas drilling could raise salt levels, in turn boosting radium in water
Pennsylvania ranks second in U.S. natural gas production, accounting for about one-fifth of U.S. output in 2024, and has one of the most extensive histories of energy extraction in the country. A team of researchers from Penn State is trying to better understand the environmental impacts of these sites—specifically, whether fracking is increasing radium content in local drinking water.
Pennsylvania ranks second in the U.S. for natural gas production, contributing about one-fifth of the country's output in 2024. Researchers from Penn State are investigating the environmental impacts of natural gas drilling, particularly whether fracking affects radium levels in local drinking water. A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology reveals that higher salt concentrations near energy extraction sites may lead to increased radium and heavy metals in groundwater.
The team collected samples from 91 private wells and springs in Washington and Greene counties, southwestern Pennsylvania, and found that radium content was linked to some drilling operations and higher salt levels. However, these increases could also be due to other environmental factors. Radium, which resembles calcium in the body, can pose serious health risks when present in drinking water.
The study's findings suggest that UOG operations might contribute to localized radium issues, particularly in regions with elevated salinity, but more research is needed to confirm this connection.
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