Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Research Articles

Evaluation and health risk assessment of arsenic and potentially toxic elements pollution in groundwater of Majha Belt, Punjab, India.

Concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) like arsenic, uranium, iron, and nitrate in the groundwater of the Majha Belt (including Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot districts) in Punjab, India were measured to evaluate the health risks associated with its consumption and daily use. The average concentrations of these elements in some locations exceeded the WHO-recommended values. Arsenic and iron toxicity levels were found to be higher in the Amritsar district, while uranium toxicity was more prevalent in Tarn Taran. The Trace Element Evaluation Index suggests that Amritsar is one of the districts most affected by toxic elements. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) guidelines, the HQ values of U, Fe, and nitrate were less than one, indicating that there is no non-carcinogenic health risk for adults and children. However, the hazard quotient (HQ) value for arsenic was greater than one, indicating a higher possibility of health risk due to arsenic in the study area. The total hazard index values of 44.10% of samples were greater than four for arsenic, indicating that people in the Majha Belt are at a very high health risk due to the usage of water for drinking and domestic purposes. The cancer risk assessment values for arsenic in children (5.69E + 0) and adults (4.07E + 0) were higher than the accepted limit of USEPA (10-4 to 10-6) in the Majha Belt. The average radiological cancer risk values of U for children and adults were 8.68E-07 and 9.45E-06, respectively, which are well below the permissible limit of 1.67 × 10-4 suggested by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of DAE, India. The results of this study confirm that the residents of the Majha Belt who use contaminated groundwater are at a serious risk of exposure to arsenic in the Amritsar district and uranium in Tarn Taran district.

Rapid screening technique for gross α and gross β estimations in aqueous samples during radiation emergency

Abstract A portable liquid scintillation counting system has been used as a rapid screening tool for radiological characterization and in situ measurements of aqueous samples. The methodology was standardized based on the Pulse Length Index for gross α and gross β activity determinations in aqueous solutions by means of a portable Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC). This single compact PMT system yielded precise results for aqueous test samples, which were validated against a conventional HIDEX 300SL LSC system. The sensitivity of the portable LSC for gross measurements was investigated thoroughly for various combinations of scintillation cocktails and sample proportions, and found to be well below the Operational Intervention Levels (OILs) recommended by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) during radiation emergency scenarios. Gross α- and β-activity measurements by means of the portable LSC system have shown this procedure to be effective for preliminary screening and evaluating the total radioactivity in aqueous samples during such radiation emergencies.

Institutional Experience of Routine Radiation Surveillance of Delay and Decay Tanks Facility in a Department Having High-dose Iodine Therapy Unit

Abstract Background: Radioactive solid and liquid waste generated by patients after high-dose iodine therapy may lead to significant radiation exposure if not properly handled. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to monitor the radiation exposure along the sewerage drainage system of the high-dose iodine therapy ward and to rule out leakage if any, that might pose a potential radiation hazard to the general public (sewerage workers) and radiation health professional. Materials and Methods: The sewerage drainage system from isolation wards has multiple gate valves to regulate sewerage flow from the high-dose iodine therapy ward into delay and decay tanks (DDT) built, especially for the purpose. Radiation surveillance was done using a Geiger-Muller counter-based survey meter at 11 different locations on a weekly basis for 12 weeks. Results: A total of 26 patients underwent high-dose iodine ablation therapy during the study period in our department, with the highest recorded radiation exposure rate in the sewerage draining system in the 9th week of patient admission. This was at the common gate valve junction (location B) that directed sewerage waste from all four isolation rooms into the common pipeline leading to DDT. Minimal radiation exposure was recorded within Atomic Energy Regulatory Board -prescribed limits with no evidence of leakage. Conclusion: A routine radiation survey is an important component of overall radiation safety in the nuclear medicine department, including sewerage delay tank facilities, which helps keep the radiation exposure to acceptable levels by identifying timely leakage.

Estimation of Natural Uranium and Its Risk-Assessment in Groundwater of Bangalore Urban District of Karnataka, India

In this study, 56 groundwater samples were taken from diverse sources in Bangalore Urban district during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons to measure the uranium concentration and its correlation with different waterquality parameters. The uranium concentration varied from 0.94–98.79 µg/L during the pre-monsoon season and from 1.38–96.52 µg/L during the postmonsoon season. Except for a few readings, all were within the safe limit of 60 µg/L as prescribed by India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Owing to its slightly higher concentration, a study on the radiological and chemical risks that are caused due to the ingestion of uranium was assessed. Based on the radiological aspect, cancer mortality and its risks were assessed, wherein all of the samples were well within the acceptable limit of 10−4; therefore, consuming these water samples was radiologically safe. However, when the risk that was caused by chemical toxicity was assessed, a few samples exceeded the hazard quotient (HQ) value of more than 1, thus illustrating that individuals were vulnerable to chemical risk. This paper features assessments of uranium and its risks to public health in groundwater samples if it exceeded the safe limit. Additionally, it recognizes the value of periodically assessing and treating the area’s drinking water sources.

Radiation Safety and External Radiation Exposure Rate of Patients Receiving I-131 Therapy for Hyperthyroidism and Remnant Ablation as Outpatient: An Institutional Experience.

Objective Our objective was to study the radiation exposure rate as function of time in the administration of radioiodine iodine-131 (I-131) for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis or Graves' disease and remnant ablation on an outpatient basis at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, and also, to study the impact of revised discharge criteria for radioiodine therapy enforced by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) of India. Materials and Methods This study included patients who underwent low-dose radioiodine therapy using I-131. Patients were classified into two different groups, that is, group A and group B. Group A included patients receiving low dose I-131 for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis, whereas group B included patients receiving I-131 therapy for the ablation of residual thyroid tissue after total thyroidectomy. The radiation exposure rate was measured using a radiation detector in milli roentgen per hour (mR/h) at 5 cm distance of stomach and neck levels and with the patient standing at the distance of 1 m after oral administration of I-131 at 0, 1, and 2 hours. Results A total of 134 (17 males and 117 females) patients were included in the study. Group A comprised 102 (14 male and 88 females) patients and group B of 32 (3 males and 29 females) patients. At the neck level, the average exposure rate in group A versus group B after 0, 1, and 2 hours was observed to be 6.9 versus 22.27 mR/h, 33.67 versus 43.39 mR/h, and 41.75 versus 48.90 mR/h, respectively. At the stomach level, the exposure rate was 23.65 versus 71.32 mR/h, 13.27 versus 48.45 mR/h, and 9.91 versus 39.43 mR/h after 0, 1, and 2 hours, respectively. At a distance of 1 m, the exposure rate was 1.31 versus 2.99 mR/h, 1.05 versus 2.58 mR/h, and 0.92 versus 2.21 mR/h, respectively. Conclusion Exposure rate measured for patients treated with up to 1,110 MBq (30 mCi) of I-131 was under permissible limits as per revised discharged limits, that is, 50 µSv/h (5 mR/h) prescribed by AERB, India. The patients undergoing radioiodine therapy I-131 (up to 1,110 MBq/30 mCi) can be discharged safely 2 hours postadministration following good work practice along with providing proper radiation safety instructions to patients.

Analysis of events reported from industrial radiation facilities

Radiation sources have multifarious societal applications in medical, industrial and research. Prevention of any untoward event is one of the important safety principles to be considered during the handling of radiation sources. However, some unusual events may occur during the handling of radiation sources, which may be attributed to various factors such as equipment malfunction, human error etc. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has a well-established mechanism for event reporting by the stakeholders. An analysis of the events reported by the facilities handling radiation sources for industrial radiography, nucleonic gauges and well-logging applications has been carried out. Analysis shows that the major contributing factors for reported events in industrial radiography are human error and equipment failure, whereas for nucleonic gauges and well logging facilities dominating factors are security-related issues and external (environmental) factors respectively. These reported events have not led to any serious accident, however, reported by the facilities as deviations from standard operating procedures are observed.

Retrospective Analysis of Treatment Time Calculation Agreement Between TPS and Manual Method and Source Strength Verification for 13 HDR Ir-192 Sources In Flexitron Brachytherapy Unit: A Single Institute Experience

Introduction: Source strength measurement and verification during every source exchange in high dose rate (HDR) Brachytherapy 192Ir is primary part of quality assurance program as recommended by national regulatory body Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai, India. The purpose of this study was to evaluate RAKR (in-house measurement) of 192Ir using re-entrant well-type ionization chamber with stated RAKR values as provided by the manufacturer in source certificate and to check the accuracy of the Oncentra treatment planning system calculation with manual method of computation at different intervals for 13 HDR Ir-192 sources. Materials And Methods: We have retrospectively evaluate the in-house measured RAKR with the calibrated Standard Imaging HDR 1000 PLUS Well chamber /electrometer CDX 2000B for 13 HDR Ir192 sources with stated RAKR and the treatment time calculation accuracy of Oncentra TPS verified by manual method of computation using TG-43 formalism. Results: The study shows, that the measured RAKR and stated RAKR were well within the tolerance limits set by the national and international recommendations i.e. ±3 % for 13 HDR Ir192 sources. The verification of TPS treatment time calculation with manual calculation for single source as well as for multi-source lies within ±2%. Conclusions: There is good agreement between in-house measured and vendor quoted values of RAKR which shows that the chamber has been stable to better than ±3 % and manual calculations shows agreement with the TPS outcome within ±2% for 13 HDR Ir192 sources. The manual method of computation works reliably and reassures the TPS functioning.

Design and Suitability Analysis of FPGA-Based TCP/IP Offload Module for Control Systems of FBRs

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) offload modules play a crucial role in India’s first commercial fast breeder reactor (PFBR) distributed digital control system architecture by providing networking capabilities to the real-time control systems used in safety-critical and safety-related applications of the PFBR. These modules enable operators to remotely control various mechanisms, facilities, and process loops via real-time control systems from the main control room display stations. The malfunctioning of these modules may hamper the overall plant’s availability; hence to improve further upon safety, security, reliability, and performance, these modules have been indigenously developed for upcoming fast breeder reactors in India. This paper proposes methods to justify the suitability of these communication modules as per the D-25 design guidelines issued by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India. The design and testing aspects are covered, including an approach toward hardware descriptive language-based design and testing with respect to the IEEE standard and the TCP/IP protocol specifications. Module design validation based on ethernet frame transactions is detailed in this paper. The test platform design, which includes the diagnostics software design for CPUs designed with these TCP offload modules, and the design of a graphical user interface to detect and record TCP connection anomalies are detailed. The network interface response to postulated events of TCP packet corruption, packet drop, packet delay, out-of-order packets, duplicate packets, and heavy traffic is characterized.

Assessing the Baseline Uranium in Groundwater around a Proposed Uraninite Mine and Identification of a Nearby New Reserve

The presence of uranium in groundwater is a cause of concern all over the world. In mineralized regions where elevated concentrations of uranium are possible in groundwater, mining activities can further degrade the water quality. Hence, it is essential to document the baseline uranium concentration in groundwater before the commencement of mining. This study was carried out with the objective of assessing the concentration of uranium in groundwater around a proposed uraninite mining site in the Gogi region, Karnataka, India. Gogi is a village in the Yadgir district of Karnataka where groundwater is the main source of water for domestic needs. The uranium mineralized zone in this region occurs along the major E-W trending Gogi-Kurlagere fault at a depth of about 150 m. Groundwater samples were collected every three months from January 2020 to October 2020 from 52 wells located in this area. The concentration of uranium in groundwater ranged from 1.5 ppb to 267 ppb. The USEPA and WHO have recommended a permissible limit of 30 ppb, while the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India has a limit of 60 ppb for the purpose of drinking water. Based on these permissible limits for uranium in drinking water, concentrations exceeded the limit in about 25% of wells within 20 km from the mineralized region. Wells present in the granitic and limestone terrain exhibited higher concentrations of uranium in this area. Uranium concentration in groundwater changes depending on the degree of weathering, lithology, and rainfall recharge. This study will serve as a baseline and will help to assess the impact of mining activities in this region in the future. In wells where the uranium concentration exceeds permissible limits, it is suggested not to use groundwater directly for drinking purposes. These sites need to be explored further for the possible presence of uranium-bearing minerals.

A short Review of the ALARA Principle in Radiation Protection

Any activity involving radiation should be planned and conducted in such a way that the exposures to individuals are optimally low, taking into consideration the economic and cost aspects. This principle of optimization is called ALARA. ALARA stands for “As Low as Reasonably Achievable”. The ALARA principle states that the radiation exposures should be limited to a minimum level since the Ionizing radiation may produce biological effects in the exposed person. Background of ALARA Concept: The introduction of ALARA was a great philosophical change, as instead of working up to the permissible exposure limits, the idea was to keep exposures to levels as far below the limits as could reasonably be done, considering economic and technical factors. The linear-no-threshold (LNT) model, labeled is the basis of the ALARA protocol; if even small doses lead to slight increases in the risk of cancer than doses should be kept as low as possible. The concept of ALARA was first introduced in 1954 in the National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements (NCRP) Report, and later in International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 1 where it was initially called ALAP, the acronym for As Low As Practicable (ICRP 1959b). As per Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Govt of India, all radiation work should be carried out in a preplanned and controlled manner so that the exposure to the workers and persons in and near sites of radiation use is kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) and does not exceed the recommended limits. Suitable control measures shall be employed to minimize radiation exposure so that maximum benefits are derived with minimum radiological risk. Discussion: The ALARA principle appears simple but is often misinterpreted and inappropriately applied in radiation protection. It is often interpreted as “as low as possible” without taking into consideration the balancing factors. Considering radiation shielding requirements as an example excessive unnecessary shielding with materials such as lead, steel, or concrete is a waste of global resources. This in turn can cause other damages such as chemical harm and pollution to the environment, which have proven damages to human health. It is more meaningful to make use of the wasted resources for service improvements, such as reducing the charges to patients, investing in better medical technologies, and training of staff. Conclusion: The aims of radiation protection are (i) to avoid the occurrence of deterministic effects and (ii) to limit the risk of stochastic effects. ALARA protocol has successfully limited the exposure of radiation workers to impressively low levels of dose around 1 mSv. Since significant costs are incurred to comply with ALARA and the validity of the LNT model is unclear below doses of 100 mSv, more research on the health effects of low radiation doses is necessary before alternatives to ALARA can become viable.

Questionnaire-based Survey on Radiation Treatment Planning using Multimodality Facilities in Radiotherapy Centres across India: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: India is a low-middle-income country, and there is an increase in the burden of cancer under Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) in past decades. Around 60% of cancer patients require Radiotherapy (RT), either definitive or palliative in conjunction with other modalities. Considering the present requirements in the field of RT, data has been presented about centres providing both basic and advanced RT facilities. Aim: To give an overview of current facilities available and to identify the multimodality-based planning in RT centres across India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnairebased survey was conducted in centres having RT facilities in India, from March 2021 to April 2022. A systemic list of the current existing RT centres was taken from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) website. From the database list, 100 participants were selected randomly, with their contact information such as E-mail and WhatsApp. A Google survey form with a questionnaire was created for the study. The survey link forms were circulated across the RT centres in India. Results: A total of 65 centres participated in the study. The percentage of responses found to be from North India 17 (26%), South India 24 (36.9%), West India 7 (10.8%), East India 9 (13.8%) and central India 7 (10.8%) with one centre (1.5%) not disclosed. The number of government, semi-private, private and not disclosed types of hospitals participated in the survey were 19 (29.2%), 5 (7.7%), 38 (58.5%) and 3 (4.6%), respectively. The average number of functional teletherapy machines, telecobalt and linear accelerators per centre was found to be 1.24±1.33, 0.34±0.54, and 1.11±1.06, respectively. The multimodality imaging facility for RT planning was found to be 36 (55.4%) MRI and 23 (35.4%) Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT). The median cost of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Intensity Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), 4-Dimensional IMRT (4-D IMRT), and 4-Dimensional IGRT (4-D IGRT) in Lakhs (L) was found to be 1.20 L (0.00-3.00), 1.50 L (0.00-3.30), 1.50 L (0.00-4.00), 1.50 L (0.00-4.00), respectively. For advance PET-CT based RT planning the median cost was found to be, for IMRT treatment 1.20 L (0.00-3.50) and for IGRT treatment 1.60 L (0.00-4.00). Conclusion: There is a significant increase in radiation facilities in the recent millennium, especially in the private sector. The latest RT centres are equipped with multiple imaging modalities to accommodate the advanced RT planning features.

Radioactive Waste Management in a Medical Cyclotron Facility - A Review

The cyclotron is a device used to create radioactive atoms with a short half-life (radioactive isotopes) that can be utilised for research and medical imaging. When nuclear and radiation facilities are utilized, serviced, or decommissioned, radioactive waste is produced. The amount of radioactive waste produced is greatly decreased by good operating procedures. Iodine-123, Technetium-99m, Iodine-131, Gallium-67 Thallium-201 and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose are among the radionuclides utilised in medicine. The most widely used gaseous/aerosol radionuclides are (aerosolized) technetium-99m, xenon-133, and krypton-81m. The use of radionuclides (radioactive element) for industrial process control and instrumentation, medical diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, as well as numerous uses in research, education, agriculture, geological exploration, construction, and other human endeavors, results in radioactive waste. These applications generate a variety of radioactive waste, which can come from sealed sources and be in solid, liquid, or gaseous form. If the trash containing considerable amounts of radionuclides is not handled properly, there may be serious concerns to both the environment and human health. Due to the wide variety of waste kinds addressed, special consideration must be paid to safety concerns and regulatory management. This article will examine the fundamental procedures for managing radioactive waste in compliance with the regulatory agencies like AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) and IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).

Occurrence and behaviour of uranium in the groundwater and potential health risk associated in semi-arid region of Punjab, India

Occurrence of uranium (U) in the groundwater of south-west Punjab is a matter of great concern due to the rise of contaminant levels at an alarming rate, its spatial and vertical variability and poor understanding of uranium mobility with depth. Present study has been conducted to investigate the vertical extent of contamination and geochemical factors controlling U mobilization in the groundwater of semi-arid Punjab. Out of total 140 samples collected and analyzed, 76% samples have uranium levels greater than the chemical toxicity limit of World Health Organization (WHO, 30 μg.L−1) and 34% samples have concentration higher than the radiological toxicity limit given by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB, 60 μg.L−1). Water at shallow depth (<60 m) is found to be more contaminated than water at deeper depth (>60 m) and concentration lies in the range of 4.26–318.03 μg.L−1. Spatial distribution graphs are used to identify the hotspots of contamination and concentration is higher in the flow direction of groundwater towards south-west. In both the aquifers, groundwater is alkaline and oxic in character with carbonate weathering as dominant hydrogeochemical process affecting chemical composition of water. Higher uranium concentration is seen in the oxidizing, alkaline and carbonate-rich water. Alkali earth metals (Na+ & K+) are also strongly correlated with the uranium in groundwater at both the levels. Use of environmental stable isotopes (δ18O & δ2H) shows the evaporation signature in both the aquifers. Health risk assessment is carried out and values higher than permissible limit give indication towards the health risk to the population exposed due to the consumption of uranium contaminated water from long time. This study provides a strong base for better understanding the source of uranium in the aquifer system of region and the results would be useful for further studies in quaternary alluvial aquifers of semi-arid regions.

The spectrum of the atomic energy regulatory board under the department of atomic energy with respect to a medical radiation facility

Increasing medical radiation facility strongly demands to have a dedicated, competent regulatory body for guiding and managing radiation safety, quality, and standardization of rules and regulations to safeguard the human population nature from adverse effects of radiation. In India, we have the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for managing the medical radiation facility for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions and also to save them from radiation hazards under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has launched the e-Licensing of Radiation Application (eLORA), which is an application built on the web-based that establishes a channel of direct communication between the AERB and its stakeholders for information and communication exchanges in terms of providing regulatory services with higher levels of effectiveness, reliability, and transparency. They also provide various radiation awareness programs, advertisements, and radiation safety guidelines for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. DAE has a very wide spectrum in which the AERB plays a vital role in establishing regulatory processes, activities of radiation facilities such as radiodiagnosis, radiotherapy, and nuclear medicine in medical also create and publish regulatory safety documentation for utilities and consumers along with acts and regulation. Basically, AERB provides the common platform for all the radiation practicing medical institutions through eLORA, which help to streamline the radiation practice toward the betterment of humankind.

Awareness of radiation protection among dental practitioners in UP and NCR region, India: A questionnaire-based study

Background: Biological effects of radiation include deterministic and stochastic effects. Dental colleges still follow radiation protection principles due to guidelines laid by the Dental Council of India and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, but private practitioners sometimes are negligent about the significance of radiation protection. The study focuses on the awareness of radiation protection among dental practitioners based on their knowledge, attitude, and application. Aim and Objectives: The aim and objectives of this study were to evaluate the level of awareness and attitude about radiation protection among dental practitioners in Uttar Pradesh and the NCR region, India. Materials and Methods: The survey was performed on dental practitioners from UP and NCR region, India. The survey comprised two sections: one section on basic information of the dentists and their working place, consisting of two questions. The second section consisted of 21 questions regarding patient and personnel protection methods and knowledge about radiation exposure. The questionnaire was disseminated through Google Forms. Results: Among 200 dentists, 84% use Radio visual graph (RVG) in their clinics. Ninety percent of the specialists attended the basic lecture on radiation exposure, nearly 50% of the dentists use digital receptors in pediatric patients, 86% of the specialists use their hands when adjusting the X-ray tube, 98.4% of the dentists know the related complications of radiation, 46.8% of the specialists explain the radiation measures to the patients, 76.2% of the dentists use lead barriers in their clinics, and 76.2% of the clinicians often get their X-ray machines serviced yearly. Conclusion: The current study shows the utmost need for further implementation of radiation protection. The majority of dentists are negligent in practicing radiation protection procedures properly. Emphasis on radiation safety and mandatory professional education is needed.

Revision of discharge limit of gross beta activity to the aquatic environment based on public dose estimation: An operational study

Low-level liquid effluents generated from Regional Centre, Board of Radiation, and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Delhi, are generally discharged to the aquatic environment after suitable treatment (delay, decay, and dilution for short-lived radionuclides) conforming the regulatory compliance as authorized by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai. The Regional Center, BRIT-Delhi is generating the liquid effluents containing short-lived radionuclides 99Mo (T1/2−66.7 h) and 99mTc (T1/2−6.02 h) and also long-lived radionuclide 99Tc (T1/2−2.13 × 105 years) from the production of ready to use 99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals as human injectable product. This liquid waste generated during the washing of radioactive contaminated glassware is inorganic in nature and is stored in 02 number of sump tanks (capacity 50 m3 each) for delay and decay of short-lived radionuclides. The center has also planned to produce and supply 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals in future. There is a possibility that some of these radionuclides may reach the drinking water by various natural pathways. The presence of radionuclides in the drinking water above certain level may result in radiation dose to the public through the ingestion pathways. The observance of prescribed radionuclide concentration in waste water, total activity limits, and other basic safety requirements stipulated by the regulatory body help to minimize the public radiation dose. This article is an effort to derive the annual discharge limit for gross β activity at Regional Center, BRIT-Delhi to the aquatic environment of an inland site based on the drinking water standard limits prescribed by the World Health Organization. This article also discusses the effective dose received by the actual discharge of radioactive liquid effluent from the Regional Center, BRIT-Delhi.

Statistical analysis of extreme value of meteorological elements observed for the last 31 years (1989–2019) at Narora site

Understanding of extreme weather conditions at the site of interest is essentially required in the design of engineering structures so that the structures can withstand weather stresses. This paper presents an analysis of extreme values of meteorological elements observed at Narora site for the last three decades (1989–2019). The elements considered are extreme air temperature (°C), minimum relative humidity (%), extreme wind gust (km/h), maximum rainfall (mm) in a day and a month, and annual rainfall. The extreme value analysis reveals that the maximum air temperature, maximum wind gust at 30 m, maximum monthly rainfall, and maximum annual rainfall obey Fisher-Tippett Type-1/Gumbel extreme value distribution, whereas minimum air temperature, minimum relative humidity (%), annual daily maximum rainfall (mm), and annual minimum rainfall (mm) obey Fisher-Tippett Type-2/Frechet extreme value distribution function. Distribution function parameters, i.e., location, scale, and shape parameter for each variable, have been determined. Extreme values corresponding to return periods of 50, 100, and 1000 years are worked out using best fit linear regression curve as a compliance of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Safety Guide Recommendations. The derived extreme values are particularly useful to designer for arriving at suitable design basis values of different elements to ensure the safety of the reactors and other civil structures in Narora region, with respect to stresses due to weather conditions. Extreme values corresponding to return periods of 50 and 100 years at Narora are compared with corresponding values at other three nuclear reactor sites in India, namely, Tarapur, Kalpakkam, and Trombay. In addition, the time series pattern analysis of rainfall for 31 years at the Narora site closely following the 2-year moving average rainfall data pattern. These results can be used for water harvesting, irrigation, and floods management plans in the future.

Risk assessment of uranium in drinking water in Hisar district of Haryana, India

Abstract The present study highlights uranium concentrations, associated health risks and physico-chemical properties of groundwater samples collected from the Hisar district of Haryana State, India. We found that uranium concentrations in 21 out of 68 (30.9%) samples exceeded the WHO provisional guideline value of 30 μg L−1. The annual effective doses were estimated for different life stage groups. The highest dose was calculated for infants. From a radiological perspective, the mean cancer mortality risk and cancer morbidity risk were found to be 4.7 × 10−5 and 7.3 × 10−5, respectively, which are lower than the permissible limit of 1.67 × 10−4 as prescribed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India. The lifetime average daily dose (LADD) of uranium ranged from 0.03 to 7.83 μg kg−1 day−1. Approximately 23.5% of the samples showed significant chemical toxicity risk. A positive correlation between uranium and total dissolved solids (TDS) was observed.

Anomalous Concentration of Uranium in Groundwater in Parts of Salem District, Central Tamil Nadu, India

Anomalous concentration of Uranium in groundwater has been identified around Virakkal, Veerapanpalayam, Pakkanadu, Erithottam, Kammampatti, Kumarappalyam, Idappadiand Moolakkadu areas in parts of Salem district, Tamil Nadu. In this study, an area of 970 sq. km from Mettur in the north to Kumarapalayam in the south parallel to the Koratti shear zone has been examined for uranium content in groundwater. Systematic sampling of groundwater (n=78) from bore well, open well and hand pump have been collected. The samples were analysed for uranium concentration using LED Fluorimeter. Analysis resulted higher concentration of uranium along the southern extension of Koratti Shear Zone where the emplacement of younger granites, syenite and carbonatites has been reported. These lithounits might have played a vital role in the contribution of uranium to the groundwater. Based on the result, two areas have been identified such as North Block and South Block for detailed investigation.58 systematic samples from North block and 52 samples from South block have been collected and analysed. Uranium values assayed in these areas are many times higher than the prescribed limit of World Health organisation and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of 30ppb and 60ppb respectively. In northern block, among 58 samples 18 samples were assayed higher than 30ppb in which the samples from Veerappanpalayam assayed upto 545.81 ppb. Apart from Veerappanpalayam, many areas such as Mosakumarapalayam (273.90), Arasiramani (250.49ppb), Vellarivalli (131.32ppb), Kodarapalayam (106.52ppb), Savuthanur (174.79ppb), Veerapanpalayam-2 (373.43ppb) and Kotamppalayam (100ppb) were assayed more than 100ppb. Similarly, in the southern block, 52 samples were assayed in which 15 samples were higher than the prescribed limit in which Kuppampatti analyzed 402.29ppb, Virakkal and Thannikuttampatti assayed more than 100ppb. Among the total samples (n=188), 28% of samples were falling under non-potable category. The Present study has spatially brought to light significant areas where groundwater enriched by uranium concentration. It is also provided indirect evidences for uranium exploration in the study area.

Occurrence of Uranium in Groundwater of Kabirdham, Central India

The groundwater quality with respect to uranium and its seasonal variation in Kabirdham district, Chhattisgarh, India was assessed. The uranium content of the collected water samples of the study area varied from <0.5 to 90 µg/L in winter and from <0.5 to 85.2 µg/L in summer. Only one sample was beyond the safe limit of 60 µg/L of uranium in drinking water, prescribed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The occurrence of uranium in groundwater is greatly influenced by total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, and calcium, sulphate, and nitrate content of groundwater.