Hydrochemical and geological controls on dissolved radium and radon in northwestern Algeria hydrothermal groundwaters.

This study presents the results of the first investigation on natural occurrence of radium and radon in Algerian thermal water systems. Activity concentrations of Rn and Ra isotopes were measured in sixteen hydrothermal springs of northwestern Algeria. Samples displayed high activities, especially for Rn, Ra and Ra (up to 377 × 10 Bq/m, 730 Bq/m and 4470 Bq/m, respectively).