Uranium is a naturally occurring, radioactive element that is commonly associated with phosphate deposits. A large region of central Florida is actively mined for phosphate to produce fertilizer, and therefore may contain elevated levels of uranium. The primary pathway for the uranium in these deposits to be transported to the local rivers is via groundwater. The rivers that discharge into Tampa Bay, the largest open-water estuary in Florida, are directly fed by several springs that are connected to this groundwater. The majority of the freshwater flow to the Bay is provided by the Hillsborough and the Alafia Rivers. The estuarine mixing zones for both of these rivers, and their associated springs, were surveyed for uranium distributions. Prior to analysis on an ICP-AES, the uranium in the river water was preconcentrated using UTEVA resin (Eichrom Technologies) to improve the detection limit. In general, the Tampa Bay rivers have uranium concentrations that are two to three times greater than the average concentration in global rivers and estuaries. Sulphur Springs may have a slight influence on the Hillsborough River during the dry season when the spring water is pumped to the base of the Hillsborough Dam to increase the freshwater flow of the river.

Uranium distributions along two rivers in Tampa Bay, Florida

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