Influence of radon gas removal on the oxygenation of thermal water bodies in the Paipa-Boyacá area

Abstract

In this work, the effect of radon gas removal was studied for thermal water samples subjected to aeration and dissolved oxygen (DO) transfer processes. The prototype used in this work consisted of the application of a diffusion aeration system, usually used in water treatment processes, and the incorporation of a camera with the presence of LR-115 passive detectors, used for the measurement of radon gas. The Pylon ABC-6 active measurement method was used as a reference mechanism for radon gas concentration, while the dissolved oxygen measurement was measured simultaneously using a digital oximeter. The results obtained show that the DO transfer process is accompanied by an optimal removal of the radon gas present in the water samples, with a reception data of 1.5 ± 0.2 kBq·m^-3, 61% of the value initially obtained. These data show that DO transfer processes have a great contribution to the removal of radon gas present in water bodies.