Radioactivity Levels Research Articles

Radioactivity Levels in Water Samples of Tigris River in Baghdad City, Iraq

The natural radioactivity levels in water samples along the Tigris river (one of the major rivers of the world) within Baghdad city were investigated to determine and evaluate the radioactivity risks in the water of the river. The specific activity of the radionuclides (238U, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs) for thirty different water samples from Tigris river within Baghdad city were measured using gamma-ray spectrometer, employing a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The results showed that the average value of the specific activity for 238U, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were (24.20, 16.70, 329.22, and 19.40) Bq/l, respectively. The calculated average annual effective doses for different age groups were found to be (3.80, 6.57, and 5.59) mSv/y for infants, children, and adults, respectively, which are much higher than the globally allowed annual limits of the dose (0.26, 0.2 and 0.1) mSv/y for infants, children and adults, respectively, and it has harmful effects on health.

ASSESSMENT OF RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS IN THE RAMUNICKEL AND YANDERA MINING SITES OF PAPUA NEW GUINEARELATED TO RADIATION POLLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Radioactive elements present in the soil emit radiation of different types that poses a threat for human life. Mining waste and residues create environmental pollution and these have to beproperly monitored and managed. Measurement of ambient radiation doses and determination of radio nuclides in the mining waste and soil were performed in six riverside locations of Ramu Nickel and Yandera mining sites in Usino Bundi district of Madang and in a nearby place, Lae, in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The average dose rate in air in the mining sites and in Lae have been calculated and it was observed that the annual dose rate in the mining site varies from0.9 mSv/y to 1.1 mSv/y whereas in Lae, it is only 0.78 mSv/y. The outdoor dose rate was found to vary from 126.8 mGy/y to 155.4 mGy/y and the indoor dose rate was found to vary from 507.2 mGy/y to 621.7 mGy/y in the mining sites. The soil samples were analyzed using NaI(Tl) gamma rayspectrometer. Radioactive elements Ca45, I129,Hg203, Cr51, Au198, Fe59, Co60, Ti201, Cd109, Bi214 and Sc47were observed to be slightly higher in the mining area compared to that observed in nearby sites. Though radioactivity level in the mining sites is slightly higher, it is well below the global standards.

풍혈, 얼음골, 암괴류 사면의 라돈 발생에 관한 시론적 연구

Radon gas is one of the natural radioactive substances that appear in nature and known to cause lung cancer. Granite is widely distributed in Korea and a relatively high radon content has been detected through groundwater inspection. Previous studies have found that the radon content in the wind-hole area were higher than the safety level suggested as international safety standards. In this study, radon content of granite in Mt. Geumjeongsan and coastal areas comparatively investigated with the Mt. Jangsan area in Busan, where underground cold springs and rhyolite block streams are distributed. Radon contents in Mt. Jangsan are over 1,000Bq/m3, while those of Mt. Geumjeongsan and Seaside are lower than 200Bq/m3. Sedimentary rocks with high carbonate content showed low radon content. In particular, the radon content measured in two places in Jeongseon-gun, where ice is formed even in mid-summer was very low, confirming that the area with sedimentary rock high in carbonate content exhibited low radioactivity level.

Radon concentration and exhalation rate for granitic rocks, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

The present work deals with radon pollution arising from granitic rocks using an Alpha Guard radon monitor. Forty-four granitic samples were collected from five sites located in the Central part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. The minimum to maximum concentration of radon for the rocks of Gebel (mountain) El-Missikat MS, El-Gidamy GD, RieEl-Garra RG, El-Aradiya AR, and Kab-Amira KA were 49,597 ± 8773 to 236,029 ± 22,397 Bq m−3, 39,658 ± 8341 to 188,666 ± 20,545 Bq m−3, 39,854 ± 7645 to 91,393 ± 13,429 Bq m−3, 45,951 ± 9488 to 121,935 ± 14,869 Bq m−3, and 33,209 ± 6989 to 251,398 ± 25,759 Bq m−3, respectively. The surface and mass exhalation rates, the emanation coefficient, and annual effective dose (indoors) were calculated for all the studied samples. The average value of radon concentration in the collected samples was higher than the national reference level of 300 Bq m−3 recommended by ICRP corresponding to an annual effective dose of 4 mSv at work and 14 mSv at home. The measured values for the rock samples studied in the five sites surpassed the world average of soil in areas with normal levels of radioactivity. The MS granitic samples showed a potential radiological risk for human beings, therefore, it is important to carry out a detailed monitoring program for dose assessment.

Seasonal anomalies in radioactivity of the near-surface atmosphere in the Chernobyl-affected area of Belarus.

Increased radioactivity in the near-surface atmosphere is virtually an annual occurrence in the Gomel region, Belarus. However, there is no explicit evidence as to what causes these anomalies and whether their origin has a strong seasonal association. To establish any such relations, we have analysed long-term radiation monitoring data recorded in the region over the past 17 years from 2003 to 2020 to find that abnormal levels of atmospheric radioactivity in summer and in winter have different origins. Summer spikes are most likely caused by occasional wildfires blazing in contaminated afforested areas in extreme heat weather, such as the wildfires of 2015 and 2020 in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, which is confirmed by backward and forward trajectories of the air mass transport at the time calculated using the HYSPLIT model. By contrast, in winter, when a wildfire cannot occur, a potential source of atmospheric radioactivity in the Gomel region may be the use of wood fuel from contaminated territories in residential woodstoves. Measurements of wood ash sampled from local households across the contaminated area and close to the woods show excessively high concentrations of 137Cs and 90Sr. The Holt-Winters and the Facebook's Prophet models used for the purposes of this study prove their applicability for performing a short-term (5 years) prediction of the weekly index dynamics of the atmospheric radioactivity.

Radon and Exhalation Rate Measurement of Soil Samples in Al-Amiriya Area in Baghdad Governorate Using a Nuclear Track Detector

Abstract Radon is the most dangerous natural radioactive component affecting the human population, since it is a radioactive gas that results from the decomposition process of uranium deposits in soil, rocks, and water, and it is damaging both humans and the ecosystem. The radon concentrations and exhalation rate in soil samples from various locations were determined using a passive approach with a CR-39 (CR-39 is Columbia Resin #39; it is allyl diglycol carbonate C12H18O7) detector in Amiriya region in Baghdad Governorate. The average values of radon concentrations are ranged from 47.3 to 54.2 Bq·m−3. From the obtained results, we can conclude that the values of all studied locations are within the allowed levels. This research can be utilized to examine any variations in the radioactive baseline level in our homes and regions as well as to identify any hazardous radiation that could harm humans.

Dose Rate Assessment Exercises with Stylized Phantom of Neon Flying Squid from Northwest Pacific

Radiation protection for non-human marine organisms still faces many challenges. To establish a more realistic radiation dosimetry model of cephalopods, this study developed a stylized phantom of neon flying squid (Ommastrephesbartramii) containing ten organs and tissues based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. The internal and external dose conversion coefficients for eight radionuclides (134Cs, 137Cs, 131I, 110mAg, 60Co, 54Mn, 65Zn, 95Zr) of each organ/tissue were determined with Monte Carlo simulation using the Geant4 toolkit. Furthermore, with the reported coastal seawater radioactivity levels at the coastal area of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the accident in 2011 as the source term, the radiological dose rate for O. bartramii was evaluated with the stylized phantom developed in this study and with the conventional whole-organism ellipsoidal model in the ERICA Assessment Tool. Both results showed that the dose rate for O. bartramii derived from the FDNPP accident releases exceeded the generic no-effects screening benchmark level (10 μGy h−1).

External dose assessment of NORM added consumer products using Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations

Radioactive consumer products (RCP) are widely marketed for everyday use. The study herein was conducted on 21 commercially available RCP, including bio-glass discs, energy cards, scalar energy products, and anti-radiation stickers, all purposefully designed to contain naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). This study investigates the dose influence of such consumer products which acts as external radiation sources that may be in contact with human body. The goal of this study is to assess the potential risk of using NORM-added consumer products, the presence of such products in the living environment unnecessarily exposing members of the public to radiation. A Pb-shielded high purity Ge (HPGe) spectrometer was used to perform the analysis of samples radioactivity levels. Simulations were performed using Geant4 Monte Carlo (GMC) simulations to estimate the equivalent organ doses and annual effective dose (AED) in the use of such products. The total activity in such radioactive consumer products ranges from 2.0 ± 0.1 to 7413 ± 576 Bq, 1.9 ± 0.8 to 1168 ± 131 Bq, and 21 ± 5–574 ± 103 Bq, for 232Th, 238U, and 4 K, respectively. It was found that RCP contains monazite, giving a relatively high concentration of uranium and thorium. The radiological risk posed by the use of such items as healthcare products is assessed, with the daily external exposure doses of particular concern. Dose assessments of the organ equivalent and average effective doses were performed by measuring the activity of 232Th, 238U, and 4 K using the aforementioned products for various exposure duration scenarios. Accordingly, sample A13 a bio-glass disc offered concentrations with mean percentages of 1.29 ± 0.003% and 0.043 ± 0.0003% for Th and U, respectively, giving rise to estimate the greatest annual effective dose exposure of 2.54 mSv among samples, considerably in excess of the public dose limit of 1 mSv y-1

Measurement of natural radioactivity levels in drinking water by gamma spectrometry

Measurement of natural radioactivity levels in drinking water by gamma spectrometry

Radionuclide contents in soil, sediments and food samples, and incidences of cancer in oil producing localities in Imo State south-east Nigeria

The communities in Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas (LGAs) are surrounded by about 83 oil wells. Investigations indicated that crude wastes were not properly managed, and there were reported high number of cancer cases in the LGAs. Therefore, assessment of radionuclide contents in environmental and food samples, and incidences of cancer in the LGAs was carried out to determine any possible relationship between natural radionuclides in soil and sediment samples, and farm products, establish any possible relationship between reported cancer incidences and actual environment of the inhabitants, and develop models that could predict committed effective dose equivalents in yam, cassava and fish samples from radioactivity in soil and sediment samples. Soil, yam and cassava samples were collected from farmlands while sediment and fish samples were collected from rivers in the communities. The collected samples were prepared and taken to the laboratory for measurement. A well-calibrated lead-shielded 76 mm × 76 mm NaI (Tl) detector was deployed for the radiological investigation. It had a modest resolution of about 8% at 662 keV. Activity concentration of 214Bi (determined from its 1.760 MeV gamma-ray peak) was chosen to provide an estimate of 226Ra (238U) in the samples, while that of daughter radionuclide 208Tl (determined from its 2.614 MeV gamma-ray peak) was chosen as an indicator of 232Th. Potassium-40 was determined by measuring the 1.460 MeV gamma rays emitted during its decay. Results indicate that mean activity concentrations obtained from Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta are higher than those obtained from the control LGAs for 226Ra and 232Th which may be attributable to the geological variations of the study areas. The absorbed dose rates from Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta are slightly higher than world average value of 51 nGyh−1 while the committed effective dose equivalents from the study areas are less than world average value of 1.1 mSvy−1. The percentage contributions of natural radiation exposures to incidence of cancer in the study areas are less than 7% which implies that cancer incidences in the study areas may not be due to natural radioactivity levels. Hence, natural radioactivity levels may have been elevated in the communities of the oil producing localities but the concentrations are not yet frightening. In future environmental radioactivity studies, the developed models could be very useful.

Soil radioactivity levels and radiation exposure to the population in Aswan and Abu Simbel areas, South of Egypt

Gamma-ray spectrometer and Lucas cell were used to evaluate the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 222Rn mass exhalation rates for 37 topsoil samples from different sites in Aswan city, Aswan-Abu Simbel highway, and Abu Simbel village, south of Egypt. The average activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K was 23.3 ± 1.7, 21.1 ± 1.2, and 283.4 ± 22.3; 21.2 ± 1.7, 15.2 ± 1.0, and 89.4 ± 10.5; 29.0 ± 2.2, 26.3 ± 1.5, and 79.5 ± 9.7 Bq kg−1 for soil from Aswan city; Aswan-Abu Simbel highway; and Abu Simbel village, respectively. Activity ratios for the studied radionuclides were calculated, and 232Th/226Ra ratios in most of the sampling sites were <1.1 (natural equilibrium ratio). The mass ratio of Th/K was computed, and the results showed the presence of three main types of clay minerals (montmorillonite, kaolinite, and heavy thorium-bearing minerals) in the studied areas. Radon measurements showed that soil from Aswan city has the highest average value of 222Rn mass exhalation rate (20.6 ± 1.7 mBq kg−1 h−1). The ambient dose equivalent rates were measured in situ using the portable survey meter, and the obtained values showed no significant differences between the studied areas. In general, the results indicate that the studied areas can be considered as areas with normal background radiation levels, and therefore the risks of exposure to natural radiation are minimal.

Radon daughter's radioactivity levels in the Arabian Sea as indicators of airmass mixing

Measurements on radon daughter's activities in the Arabian Sea were carried out during the period 19 May to 9 July 1973, under the joint Indo-USSR MONEX-73 project. The data were collected on board the ships of the Indian Navy cruising between 19°N- 21°N, within longitudes 60°E- 73°E and the two USSR vessels Okean and Priliv cruising between latitudes 0°-10°N and 10°N-18°N, respectively. The results show that there is a significant increase in radon daughter's activity at about 19°N-21°N, the average level being of the order of about 8 pci/m3 as compared to 1-2 pci/n13 at lower latitudes. This is explained, on the basis of synoptic charts and available sounding data, as being due to the wind and pressure pattern prevailing during the monsoon months which result in the transport of continental -air from Arabia and Pakistan and its mixing with the maritime monsoon airmass of southern hemispheric origin. The significant increase .in radon activity on some days of the cruise was mainly due to the existence of disturbances like depressions, cyclonic storms, etc, over the north Arabian Sea, or due to the passage of Western disturbances at a relatively lower latitudes (along approximately 25°N) and their associated circulation patterns. These phenomena favour significant transport of continental air from the north a~ west. The mixing of this continental airmass with the airmass of low radon concentrations results in increasing the average randon levels from 1 to 8 pci/m3.

Assessment of localized and resuspended 137 Cs due to decontamination and demolition in the difficult-to-return zone of Tomioka town, Fukushima Prefecture.

As the next step that occurred more than one decade after the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), decontamination and demolition have been carried out in the Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base (SRRB) of the difficult-to-return zone around the FDNPS. However, the risk of internal exposure among workers due to airborne dust inhalation after building demolition operations has not been sufficiently evaluated. To evaluate the working environment and internal exposure risk due to inhalation in the SRRB of Tomioka town, Fukushima Prefecture, the cesium-137 (137 Cs) radioactivity levels in the airborne dust at building demolition sites were analyzed using gamma spectrometry. The 137 Cs radioactivity levels and resuspension factors of the airborne dust at the subject building sites in the difficult-to-return zone remained at high levels compared with those of the control, which was located in the evacuation order-lifted area in Tomioka town. However, the 137 Cs radioactivity levels did not increase significantly, despite demolition operations that used heavy machinery. In this case, no substantial increases in accident-derived 137 Cs levels due to decontamination and demolition in the SRRB of Tomioka town, Fukushima Prefecture, were observed in the airborne dust samples, which suggests that the 137 Cs radioactivity in the airborne dust is primarily associated with particles that are resuspended by localized winds accompanied by the transfer of construction vehicles as opposed to the decontamination and demolition operations. However, the internal exposure doses due to aspirating airborne dust containing 137 Cs were extremely low compared with the estimated annual effective doses of decontamination workers or the limits recommended by the Japanese government. Additionally, countermeasures such as wearing protective masks could help reduce the on-site inhalation of soil-derived radionuclides. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1555-1563. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Cancer Risk Assessment and Geochemical Features of Granitoids at Nikeiba, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

Different rock types (syenogranite, alkali feldspar granite and quartz syenite intruded by microgranite dikes and quartz veins) were investigated in the Nikeiba region in Egypt. The main components of the studied intrusive rocks, comprised of granites and quartz syenite, are plagioclase, amphibole, biotite, quartz and K-feldspar in different proportions. Ground gamma ray measurements show that syenogranite, quartz syenite and microgranite dikes have the highest radioactivity (K, eU, eTh and their ratios) in comparison with alkali feldspar granite. Geochemically, syenogranite, alkali feldspar granite and quartz syenite are enriched with large-ion lithophile elements (LILE; Ba, Rb, Sr) and high field-strength elements (HFSE; Y, Zr and Nb), but have decreased Ce, reflecting their alkaline affinity. These rocks reveal calc–alkaline affinity, metaluminous characteristics, A-type granites and post-collision geochemical signatures, which indicates emplacement in within-plate environments under an extensional regime. U and Th are increased in syenogranite and quartz syenite, whereas alkali feldspar granite shows a marked decrease in U and Th. The highest average values of AU (131 ± 49 Bq·kg−1), ATh (164 ± 35) and AK (1402 ± 239) in the syenogranite samples are higher than the recommended worldwide average. The radioactivity levels found in the samples are the result of the alteration of radioactive carrying minerals found inside granite faults. The public’s radioactive risk from the radionuclides found in the investigated granitoid samples is estimated by calculating radiological risks. The excess lifetime cancer (ELCR) values exceed the permissible limit. Therefore, the granitoids are unsuitable for use as infrastructure materials.

Determination of natural radioactivity levels and associated radiation hazard indices of wheat flour samples from selected Ethiopian markets

Determination of natural radioactivity levels and associated radiation hazard indices of wheat flour samples from selected Ethiopian markets

Analysis of work activities involved in clearance verification process of decommissioning Fugen Nuclear Power Plant

ABSTRACT A series of work activities involved in clearance verification process was analyzed from the viewpoint of work efficiency in dismantling turbine facilities at Fugen Nuclear Power Plant. The work activities relating to clearance verification process were divided into four steps: pre-treatment, decontamination, surface monitoring at gate of controlled area for transportation, and clearance monitoring. Of these steps, decontamination required the most manpower expenditure. In addition, pre-decontamination surface monitoring showed that most of the cut pieces were below the detection limit. This corresponds with the fact that most parts of the turbine system were evaluated to have low levels of radioactivity when the plant ceased operation in 2003, and the radioactivity is even lower due to decay since shutdown. The analysis of the clearance verification process indicates the potential effectiveness of reducing or skipping the decontamination efforts for the parts that are known to have low-enough radioactivity. In addition, it is possible to improve the efficiency by only monitoring selected representative samples instead of all units for clearance verification, depending on the degree of contamination. Our analysis revealed that person-hours can be reduced by 37% by using pre-decontamination surface monitoring to make decontamination decision in the case of Fugen decommissioning.

Potential Applications of Marine Deposits Assessment Using Radiometric and Geochemical Data Integration in Arewa-Jantulu NW, Nigeria

Exploration for uranium, thorium, potash, and manganese at this time can be seen as a magnitude that can settle into the immense economic benefit to the host community and the country at large. These minerals have transformed the economic landscape of many host countries and they can be mined to contribute significantly to the Nigerian economy. In this study In-situ measurements using Radiometric and trace element analysis of intercontinental deposits discovered by the paleomagnetic analysis were carried out in Arewa-Jantulu part of the Gwandu formation northwestern Nigeria. The present study was aim to measure and characterize the concentration of radioactive anomalies using radiometric and geochemical measurements. Uranium (U), Thorium (Th), and Potassium (%K) as well as the total count (TOT) gamma-ray concentration was measured with a portable Gamma-ray spectrometer. The results of the gamma-ray measurements shows spatial distribution plots of different levels of radioactivity over the studied area, which reflect contrasting radioelements contents for exposures to various rock types. The phase identification of marine soil sediment samples was determined from Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). While the study has shown the correlation plots of various trace elements versus radioelements concentration as well as the total concentration of some profiles of the study area. This study identified the need for the interpretation of geochemical data in this location to confirm the results obtained are meaningful. The study has also revealed the computed mean and standard deviation for trace elements analysis for ease assessment. For radioelements occurrences, the spatial distribution plots of activity of uranium (eU), thorium (eTh), and (K %) give an indication where high concentrations of thorium and uranium occur.

Study of transient events during the full-system chemical decontamination operation of the Kori-1 nuclear power plant

The Kori-1 nuclear power plant (NPP), a Westinghouse 2-loop pressurized water reactor in Korea, permanently ceased operations on June 18, 2017. Before the main decommissioning activities, full chemical decontamination of primary systems will be performed to secure the safety of workers and minimize the quantity of radioactive waste. In this study, the steady and transient flow characteristics for the chemical decontamination operations were analyzed via a simulation using the Multidimensional Analysis of Reactor Safety, KINS Standard version. Then, based on the accumulated flow mass released from the reactant cooling systems during transient events, the radioactivity levels were estimated using the oxide layer removal ratio obtained from the chemical decontamination experiment. The loss of residual heat removal, steam generator tube rupture (SGTR), power-operated relief valve open (PORV Open), and combination of SGTR and PORV Open simulations were investigated in terms of the transient events. Finally, a strategy for managing transient events during the full-system chemical decontamination operation of the Kori-1 NPP is proposed.

Potential REE-Li resources in lateritic granite in Indonesian granitoid formations: A review

The long-term growth trajectory of numerous industries remains dependent on rare- earth elements and lithium (REE-Li) resources, even if China began restricting the supply of REE. As critical raw minerals, REE-Li resources have become a sensitive issue, with the preservation of reserves framed are concerns over protecting the country's sovereignty. REE-Li bearing minerals are surmised to have originated from granite parent rocks. The granite belt in Indonesia is extensive on the Bangka Belitung Islands, West Kalimantan, and West Sulawesi, areas associated with high levels of radioactivity. This study discusses a conceptual analysis on the presence of REE-Li in granitic rock and lateritic granite based on previous studies both in general and in the given area. The region is mineralized with REE-Li bearing minerals in granite, which are absorbed onto clay minerals from weathered granite.

Recycle Glass Waste as a Host for Solidification of Oil Sludge

The production of oil sludge per year is more than 1 billion tonne that mainly generated from the production, refinery, storage, and transportation of petroleum. Disposal of oil sludge had been a great issue since the waste consists of highly concentrated of Natural Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). Therefore, to overcome this problem, this study aims to investigate used and recycle borosilicate glass as a host for solidification of oil sludge. The oil sludge and glass host were mixed into different compositions, melted at high temperature (1,100 °C -1,200 °C) for 1 h in alumina crucible and rapidly cooling in the room temperature, by reducing the radioactivity levels of NORM. This study found out that, the optimum waste loading was obtained at a range of 20-25 wt% of oil sludge and 75-80 wt% of the glass host at 1,200 °C. All the glass waste was produced as an amorphous phase material with small amount of crystalline phase such as SiO2, Ba4-Al2-O7, AlPO4, Al2O3 and Fe3Zn10, which observed to be appeared during the cooling process. The major elements of the glass waste were found to be distributed uniformly based on energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) mapping. Furthermore, the dissolution rate of indicator element increased due to the increase of pH solution, while the normalized releases of B, Si, and Na during product consistency tests were low and below the standard glass limit, which shows high durability of the glass due to lower release of glass elements. Therefore, this study emphasized the suitability of recycle borosilicate glass as a host for immobilization of oil sludge prior for disposal, while deploying high temperature technology.