Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Research Articles

Indigenous filamentous fungi isolated from zirconia processing wastewater as a potential biosorbent for aqueous thorium(IV) ions

Abstract. Yazid M, Bastianudin A, Octavia B, Putra TD, Rachmani LD, Putri KNA. 2023. Indigenous filamentous fungi isolated from zirconia processing wastewater as a potential biosorbent for aqueous thorium(IV) ions. Biodiversitas 24: 6825-6835. This research focused on exploring indigenous thorium-tolerant fungal isolated from zirconia processing wastewater as a biosorbent for thorium. The objective of present study was to isolate, purify, identify, and analyze the selected capabilities of indigenous fungal biomass in adsorbing thorium from aqueous solution, with the aim of obtaining valuable technical data for its application as a bioremediation agent for technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) wastewater containing thorium. The results showed that total five indigenous fungal isolates, namely two isolates of Penicillium sp. (T2, T4), Rhizoctonia sp. (T3), Mycelia sterilia (T5), and Aspergillus sp. (T6) were isolated from the samples. The result of tolerance index values revealed that two isolates i.e., Penicillium sp. (T2), Penicillium sp. (T4) and a Mycelia sterilia (T5) exhibited high tolerance, while Rhizoctonia sp. (T3) and Aspergillus sp. (T6) showed very high tolerance to thorium. Consequently, Rhizoctonia sp. (T3) was selected for the biosorption study based on the highest tolerance index value obtained. The optimal pH for biosorption was found to be 4 with 30 minutes of contact time and an 80°C temperature. The optimal biosorption efficiency with initial concentrations of 50 and 100 ppm was 97.53 and 90.88%, respectively. In conclusion, based on the obtained technical data, the Rhizoctonia sp. (T3) biomass shows significant potential as a bioremediation agent for wastewater containing thorium.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOTYPE OF LOW-TENORM ZIRCONIUM OXYNITRATE HYDRATE PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL ZIRCON, WEST KALIMANTAN

Zirconium Oxynitrate Hydrate (ZrO(NO3)2·xH2O) prototype product from Kalimantan zircon sand, or hereafter we mention it as ZON, has been successfully synthesized. The ZrO2 content of 38.62 wt.% in the ZON analysis was higher than that of several commercial products. TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) reduction was obtained from zircon raw materials containing ThO2 and U3O8 of 619.9 and 728.8 ppm, respectively, to become 121.1 and 0 ppm in the ZON. The ZON formation was indicated by the XRD and FTIR characterization.

Radon Flux Measurement System.

Disposal of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) waste in the State of Oregon is prohibited unless it can be demonstrated that the material is nonradioactive as defined by its radionuclide content and potential for emission into the environment. It was determined that a radon flux on the surface of the waste no greater than 0.37 Bq m -2 s -1 would meet this requirement. This article provides a method to estimate the radon flux through indirect measurement of the radon mass exhalation rate. It describes a device that consists of a radon accumulation chamber coupled with a continuous radon monitor and software to process the results and calculate the radon mass exhalation rate and radon flux for an unknown sample of approximately 500 g. The chamber system was tested with a uranium ore sample.

Comparison of Doses from Disposals of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Kentucky and Oregon.

Oil and natural gas fracking waste contains technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) and has increasingly been disposed of in unpermitted landfills, causing concern among regulators and the public about potential exposures. There are numerous issues with TENORM waste, including the lack of Federal regulations on its disposal and the lack of permitted landfills capable of accepting these waste streams. This paper examines two situations in which TENORM was placed in unpermitted landfills, one in Kentucky and one in Oregon. The same modeling and dose calculation methods were used in both cases, allowing for a comparison between the two sites. Site-specific differences, source terms, and doses from the disposals and potential remediation options are discussed and compared. Predicted groundwater concentrations are shown and compared against the relevant regulations for each site. Despite the differences in site and TENORM waste characteristics, it was more protective of the community and the environment to leave the waste in place at both sites. Radiation doses to landfill workers on site and to members of the public were low, both during the original disposal and for the remediation alternatives evaluated. Removal of the TENORM material in either case presents significant non-radiological risks that outweigh any benefit from the long-term dose reduction.

“Quantum Pendants” - the measurement of exposure to enhanced natural radioactivity

Different methods of alternative medicine may cause increased exposure to humans due to natural radioactivity. “Scalar energy medallions”, also known as “Quantum Pendants”, were investigated in the present work. Such objects are easily available in herbal stores or online. The elevated concentration of natural radionuclides from thorium series (232Th) and uranium series (238U) were measured in such pendants. The measured concentrations reached values up to 49 100 Bq·kg−1 for 228Ra, 51 600 Bq·kg−1 for 228Th, and 7 900 Bq·kg−1 for 238U and 226Ra. Radioactive disequilibrium among radionuclides was observed and this fact may be indirect evidence of the industrial (not natural) origin of these materials. Therefore, such medallions should be considered as NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) or TENORM (Technologically Enhanced NORM). According to the suppliers, the medallions should be carried directly on the skin of the human chest. Therefore, elevated radiation exposure is expected. Due to the presence of natural radionuclides in elevated concentrations, a mixed radiation field is the source of exposure to humans. Such conditions imply some metrological difficulties due to complex types of radiation. The article presents a proposal for a measurement approach in such cases. The effective dose from beta, X and gamma radiation for the human body was measured with the use of body phantoms and Panasonic thermoluminescent (TL) dosimeters. Various combinations of TL detectors, radiation filters and calculation protocols were applied to determine the doses from beta, X and gamma radiation. The obtained total effective dose exceeds the limit for the general population – 1 mSv.

Crude Oil Extraction and Technologically-Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) Pre-Treatment of Petroleum Sludge: A Review

Malaysia is known as one of the major petroleum producers in the Asia-Pacific region. Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) in 2018 stated that the average daily production was over 1.7 million barrels of oil equivalent while the remaining reserves were estimated at more than 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent within more than 400 oilfields. With the growing demand for petroleum-based products, significant contaminated scales and sludge are generated each year from the petroleum industry. During production, the extracted fluids from the oil reservoir tend to carry along the Technologically-Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) of the 238U and 232Th decay chains from the Earth’s crust. TENORM in the petroleum sludge will results in radionuclides’ precipitation with silicates and carbonates, thus lowering the amount of oil extracted. There is a need for further information regarding the elemental composition (metal and nonmetal) and the surface morphology. Such information will guide the choice for useful partitioning of heavy metals between solid and gaseous products and provide a basis for comparing product characteristics with the parent material. Thus, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of petroleum sludge’s physical and chemical properties and its treatment and application. Profound evaluation of the extent of sludge treatment before disposal could be done and can significantly impact refinery and petrochemical industries.

Radioactivity in Future Phosphogypsum: New predictions based on estimates of ‘Peak P’ and rock phosphate resources

Global food supplies currently depend on producing inorganic P fertilisers from a finite reserve of rock phosphate (RP). P fertilisers are themselves significant pollutants but their production from RP also leaves a phosphogypsum (PG) by-product that is sufficiently radioactive that its reuse is restricted. PG is mostly accumulated in open ‘stacks’ that make up a significant proportion of all Technologically Enhanced Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) waste. Using lower and upper estimates of current RP reserves, historic production, and Hubbert's logistic function-based ‘peak theory’, lower and upper boundaries for possible RP production were predicted to the year 2100. The ‘low’ boundary scenario had a production peak of c.350 Mt/a RP in c.2050 followed by a steep decline. The ‘high’ boundary scenario had a production peak of c.1200 Mt/a RP in about 2090. Future trends in P demand for food production were used to predict a possible, demand-driven, RP production scenario until 2100 which peaked at a demand of c.620 Mt/a RP and was within possible production boundaries. An RP:P ratio of 5.62:1 and PG:P fertiliser ratio of 4:1 was used to calculate that this predicted demand-driven scenario would ultimately produce nearly 350 Mt/a of PG and a cumulative total of c.30 Gt by 2100. Average PG activity concentrations of 226Ra (650 Bq/kg), 210Po (300 Bq/kg) and 230Th (100 Bq/kg) give a total of c.30 PBq radioactivity in this by-product. Humanity is faced with a phosphorus dilemma – if the low production scenario unfolds it threatens food security but if predicted demand for P is met from RP the environmental challenges arising from P fertiliser use will be profound and exacerbated by a significant radioactive waste challenge. The estimates reported here show that studies of environmental radioactivity have a role to play in debates about P resources and global food security.

Occurrence and behavior of uranium and thorium series radionuclides in the Permian shale hydraulic fracturing wastes.

Over the last decade, there has been a rapid growth in the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to recover unconventional oil and gas in the Permian Basin of southeastern New Mexico (NM) and western Texas. Fracking generates enormous quantities of wastes that contain technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM), which poses risks to human health and the environment because of the relatively high doses of radioactivity. However, very little is known about the chemical composition and radioactivity levels of Permian Basin fracking wastes. Here, we report chemical as well as radiochemical compositions of hydraulic fracking wastes from the Permian Basin. Radium, the major TENORM of interest in unconventional drilling wastes, varied from 19.1 ± 1.2 to 35.9 ± 3.2Bq/L for 226Ra, 10.3 ± 0.5 to 21.5 ± 1.2Bq/L for 228Ra, and 2.0 ± 0.05 to 3.7 ± 0.07Bq/L for 224Ra. In addition to elevated concentrations of radium, these wastewaters also contain elevated concentrations of dissolved salts and divalent cations such as Na+ (31,856-43,000mg/L), Ca2+ (668-4123mg/L), Mg2+ (202-2430mg/L), K+ (148-780mg/L), Sr2+ (101-260mg/L), Cl- (5160-66,700mg/L), SO42- (291-1980mg/L), Br- (315-596mg/L), SiO2 (20-32mg/L), and high total dissolved solid (TDS) of 5000-173,000mg/L compared to background waters. These elevated levels are of radiological significance and represent a major source of Ra in the environment. The recent discovery of large deposits of recoverable oil and gas in the Permian Basin will lead to more fracking, TENORM generation, and radium releases to the environment. This paper evaluates the potential radiation risks associated with TENORM wastes generated by the oil and gas recovery industry in the Permian Basin.

Radiation hazard assessment from NORM-added paint products in Malaysia

IntroductionAcross the globe, radioactive consumer products are widely marketed for daily use. ObjectivesThe present study investigated commercially available ion paint, and the evaluations were using gamma (γ)-ray spectroscopy and Geant4 Monte Carlo (GMC) simulations. MethodsAn assessment of a radiological risk arising from using such products in the painting of living areas is conducted when Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) was observed, with a daily inhalation exposure dose being of particular concern. Organ doses were simulated using adult mathematical Medical Internal Radiation Dose 5 (MIRD5)-type phantoms, incorporating dose conversion factors (DCFs). ResultsResults showed that a product sample code of IP04 contained the highest activity, i.e., 4449 ± 530, 31888 ± 2175, and 2963 ± 405 Bq kg−1, for 238U, 232Th, and 40K, respectively. Contrarily, NP18 recorded the lowest, i.e., 16 ± 2 and 30 ± 5, Bq kg−1 of 238U and 232Th, respectively. The IP04 paint offered the most significant concentrations, with mean percentages of 0.026, 0.81, and 0.06 for 238U, 232Th, and 212Pb, respectively. Its use in a designated Room 1 had resulted in an annual effective dose of 1.53 mSv y−1, assuming an exposure for a period of 8 h day−1. ConclusionIn brief, using these ion paints could result in amounts that exceed the annual public dose limit of 1 mSv.

Determination of 226Ra in TENORM Sample Considering Radon Leakage Correction

Background: Phosphogypsum is material produced as a byproduct in fertilizer industry and is generally used for building materials. This material may contain enhanced radium-226 (226Ra) activity concentration compared to its natural concentration that may lead to indoor radon accumulation. Therefore, an accurate measurement method is proposed in this study to determine 226Ra activity concentration in phosphogypsum sample, considering the potential radon leakage from the sample container.Materials and Methods: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) phosphogypsum reference material was used as a sample in this study. High-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry was used to measure the activity concentration of the 226Ra decay products, i.e., 214Bi and 214Pb. Marinelli beakers sealed with three different sealing methods were used as sample containers. Due to the potential leakage of radon from the Marinelli beaker (MB), correction to the activity concentration resulted in gamma spectrometry is needed. Therefore, the leaked fraction of radon escaped from the sample container was calculated and added to the gamma spectrometry measured values.Results and Discussion: Total activity concentration of 226Ra was determined by summing up the activity concentration from gamma spectrometry measurement and calculated concentration from radon leakage correction method. The results obtained from 214Bi peak were 723.4 ± 4.0 Bq· kg-1 in MB1 and 719.2 ± 3.5 Bq· kg-1 in MB2 that showed about 5% discrepancy compared to the certified activity. Besides, results obtained from 214Pb peak were 741.9 ± 3.6 Bq· kg-1 in MB1 and 740.1 ± 3.4 Bq· kg-1 in MB2 that showed about 2% difference compared to the certified activity measurement of 226Ra concentration activity.Conclusion: The results show that radon leakage correction was calculated with insignificant discrepancy to the certified values and provided improvement to the gamma spectrometry. Therefore, measuring 226Ra activity concentration in TENORM (technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material) sample using radon leakage correction can be concluded as a convenient and accurate method that can be easily conducted with simple calculation.

Dose Assessment for Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Disposal in Landfills.

Technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) is gaining notoriety in the public sector, as the oil and gas industry looks for disposal locations for its slightly radioactive waste streams. Due in part to both the lack of federal regulations on the disposal of TENORM and the lack of permitted landfills that are designated for TENORM waste, occasionally it ends up being unknowingly placed in municipal landfills. It was alleged that a municipal landfill in Kentucky accepted 1.05 × 106 kg of TENORM over approximately 8 mo starting in July 2015. This matter is still in litigation, and many facts, including whether the material in question actually constituted TENORM, are still in dispute. The authors had no means available to independently verify the actual composition of the material. Therefore, for purposes of this article only, we assume that the material in question did constitute TENORM. This qualification allows us to evaluate potential doses while respecting the litigation process. Doses from the disposals and for two remediation alternatives, (1) closure-in-place and monitoring and (2) excavation and redisposition of waste, were evaluated, taking into consideration the landfill construction, local geology and hydrology, meteorology, background radiation, population distribution, and current and future land uses. This study outlines appropriate methods for calculating doses to potential receptors for a variety of exposure pathways that are broadly applicable to municipal or chemical/hazardous waste landfills. As this study demonstrates, doses to landfill workers and members of the public are low, both during the disposal and for the remediation alternatives evaluated, and well below regulatory limits. Removal of the materials does not reduce present day doses, and it presents other risks that outweigh any benefit from the long-term dose reduction.

Multivariate statistical study of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials and radiation hazards in crude oil and petroleum products of Ma’rib refinery, Yemen

Crude oil and oil products are among the significant sources of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORMs). Thirty-one samples of eight types of crude oil and petroleum products were collected from the Ma’rib Refinery, located in the Ma’rib Governorate, central Yemen. These samples were analyzed using a gamma-ray spectroscopy system with a high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The specific radio-activities of 40K, 232Th, and 226Ra for crude oil samples ranged 5.943–32.252, 1.711–12.646, and 2.445–15.520 Bq L−1, respectively. Oil products ranged 8.333–40.355, 1.556–12.812, and 3.014–17.024 Bq L−1. Potential environmental and health risks were assessed by calculating radiation hazard indicators of radium equivalent activity (Raeq) Bq L−1, absorbed gamma dose rate (AGDR) nGy h−1, annual effective dose rate (AEDR) mSv, external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) mSv, activity utilization index (AUI), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), activity concentration index (Iy), and alpha index (Iα) that ranged 5.614–33.291, 2.636–15.589, 0.003–0.019, 0.016–0.093, 0.022–0.135, 0.018–0.106, 0.045–0.285, 0.011–0.067, 0.041–0.239, and 0.012–0.078 for crude oil and 9.453–36.067, 4.475–16.837, 0.005–0.021, 0.026–0.101, 0.037–0.147, 0.031–0.114, 0.019–0.072, 0.076–0.314, 0.069–0.258, and 0.015–0.085 for oil products. The estimated average values of these indicators were compared with global averages and were below the recommended limits. The relationship between TENORMs and radiation hazard indicators and their maximum activity contributions were determined by applying multivariate statistical methods. This study is important to provide an overview of activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in the petroleum industry of Yemen. Therefore, the results are useful for assessing the radiological hazards of petroleum products in humans.

Impact of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TE-NORM) In oil and gas industry On Environment

Naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM) is the term used to describe materials containing radionuclides that exist in the natural environment. The radionuclides of interest include long-lived radionuclides such as uranium-238 (238U), uranium-235 (235U) and thorium-232 (232Th) and their radioactive decay products (such as isotopes of radium, radon, polonium, bismuth and lead), and individual long-lived radionuclides such aspotassium-40 (40K), rubidium-87 (87Rb) and indium-115 (115In). The parent radionuclides have decay times (half-lives) which are comparable with or larger than the age of the earth, so they have always been present in the earth’s crust and within the tissues of all living species. Where materials contain radionuclides from the naturally occurring decay chains (238U, 235U, 232Th), the large number of radionuclides in each chain, and the resulting large range of physical and chemical properties of the individual radionuclides, means that there can be a highly variable degree of secular equilibrium between the individual members of the chains

Impacts of TENORM from fertilizers on soil and vegetables and the effective dose rate due to ingestion of vegetables at the agricultural zone in Vietnam

In this work, the impacts of TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) from fertilizers on soil and vegetables were estimated. We investigated both the activity concentration of the natural radionuclides and the annual effective dose rate due to the ingestion of vegetables in the crops using fertilizers at the agricultural zone of Hoc Mon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The results show that there have not yet been signs of radioactive residues from using conventional fertilizers in agricultural land after a crop at the surveyed area and time. The radiological impact of surveyed vegetables was negligible to the public health.

Relationship Between Terrestrial Background and Remedial Criteria for Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material in the United States.

In the United States (US), Federal and State agencies have established radiological public exposure limits and remedial action ("clean up") criteria for naturally occurring radionuclides (NORM-primarily for uranium and thorium series radionuclides). Often, these criteria are intended to control human exposure to what is referred to in the US as technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM). This can be any naturally occurring radioactive material for which the potential for human exposure has been enhanced due to anthropogenic (human activities), e.g., removal from its "place in nature," and/or processed in some way resulting in concentration. In some cases, the values of these regulatory criteria can be similar to or even less than those levels of exposure and those concentrations of NORM that exists in nature independent of any previous human activity. The potential variability of NORM radionuclides in the soil and rocks can be significant, even over relatively short distances or depths due to factors such as geology, hydrology, and geochemistry. Given this, it is important to recognize that defining "the radiation background" for purposes of establishing and/or comparing remedial action criteria and/or exposure limits requires recognition of the specificity at the location(s) of interest, not in other geological and/or mineralogical regimes several miles away. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate this variability for comparison to exposure levels and concentrations being defined in the US as levels above which require regulatory control and / or above which are being defined as an "unacceptable risk." The primary background exposure component of specific interest here is the annual dose contribution from terrestrial radiation exposure, i.e., from uranium and thorium series radionuclides in the ground, excluding radon inhalation. The exposure sources being controlled by some US regulatory limits are primarily associated with the primordial radionuclides in soil. The average annual terrestrial component of background can vary by upwards of a few tenths of a mSv across the US that can be several times higher than the applicable exposure limits. This can result in "unacceptable risk" or "remedial action" concentration criteria statistically equivalent to or less than the background concentrations of these same primordial nuclides. The statistical and analytical uncertainties of distinguishing naturally occurring radionuclides (i.e., NORM) from those resulting from anthropogenic (human caused) activities (i.e., TENORM) can be quite challenging and in some cases may be technically impossible. Consideration must be given to the relationship of the amount of actual total risk avoidance achieved if any, relative to the traditional health and safety risks of construction and associated construction and waste management costs for remedial activities, so that a practical and scientifically based approach for development of these criteria can be achieved.

A case study of management and disposal of TENORMs: radiological risk estimation by TSD Dose and RESRAD-ONSITE

<abstract> <p>Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) and Technologically Enhanced NORMs (TENORMs) are among the principal sources of radiation exposure for humans and for the environment. Therefore, the assessment of the impact of NORMs and TENORMs waste on human health is a key issue for their management and for acceptance of disposal sites. The radiological doses to workers and public due to TENORMs disposal depend on the waste inventory, on the usage of the site during operational activities and post closure phase and on the presence of dwelling areas in the vicinity of the disposal site. In the present study it is presented a methodology to preliminary assess the feasibility of a disposal of TENORMs, mainly constituted by phosphate sludges, originated from phosphoric acid industry activities. The hypothetical case study here presented is inspired by a real case study. Different possible scenarios have been considered. The potential doses to workers and to the public on-site have been estimated by the use of the TSD Dose and the RESRAD on-site codes both during the production life cycle of the site and once it ended. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of some key parameters, such the coverage thickness and wind velocity, on potential risk for workers and public.</p> </abstract>

A gamma-ray imaging camera for NORM radioactivity detection

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) consists of materials enriched with radioactive elements, found in the environment, with concentrations over the ambient natural radioactivity average, such as industrial wastes and extraction byproducts. We designed a camera for gamma-ray imaging and radionuclide identification based on the coded mask technique. The camera proposed is a compact, lightweight instrument, ideal for real-time analysis, with a low power consumption, suitable for industrial process and ambient monitoring. We built a prototype consisting in 16 CsI(Tl) scintillators coupled to photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs) with a digital readout. We used a 7 × 7 mask composed by transparent and opaque tiles to encode radioactive gamma-rays sources image and use a reconstruction algorithm for decoding. The system was first tested using free gamma-ray radioactive sources placed at a fixed distance from the mask and than, the same sources, was placed inside an industrial nuclear waste drum to test shielding and detection limit. We will also show the results with a NORM igneous rock sample and we will try to identify the radioactive sources after a estimation of the count rate over the background, the test was carried out in lead chamber to shield the natural laboratory background. The performance of the prototype camera in terms of energy and spatial resolution with respect the detection time will be shown.

Characterization of the health and environmental radiological effects of TENORM and radiation hazard indicators in petroleum waste –Yemen

The technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM), i.e., 40K, 232Th, and 226Ra in waste petroleum scale, sludge, and produced water in Ma’rib Refinery - Yemen - were measured using spectroscopy with HPGe detector. To determining the radiation hazard of TENORMs in waste petroleum, The radium equivalent activity (Raeq), gamma-ray index (Iγ), external radiation hazard index (Hex), internal radiation hazard index (Hin), absorbed dose rate (ADR), annual effective dose (AED), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), alpha index (Iα) excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), and activity utilization index (AUI) are calculated to determine the radiation hazard of TENORMs in waste petroleum. The radiological data were analyzed using multivariable statistical methods to determine the discrepancies and similarities between the various samples. Frequency distributions have been studied for all radionuclides. There were fourteen variables measured in the data studied. The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient showed a positive correlation between all concentrations of TENORMs and all radiation hazard indicators. Factor analysis results in a two-component representation of the data obtained from waste petroleum samples. The dendrogram resulting from the Hierarchical Cluster Analysis divided the twenty-eight waste petroleum samples into three main groups using fourteen variables.

A review about radioactivity in TENORMs of produced water waste from petroleum industry and its environmental and health effects

Produced water that detached from petroleum production process is often reimbursed into the surrounding environment. This might have negative impact for environment; it is usually infiltrate agricultural soil and contaminate groundwater with toxic elements. These waters are often contaminated by technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORMs). It may create specific environmental issues and health radiological threats to the inhabitants, especially inside the petroleum facilities or the local population that live in areas and use the groundwater for the usual living purposes. The aim of this work is to provide an intensive review for the previous studies on the (TENORMs) that associating with the produced water from petroleum industry, and its environmental and health impacts in many areas around the globe. It is true that there is long term hazard associated with widespread behaviour of releasing produced water into the environments for both workers and local inhabitants as well as the environment itself. However, there is many studies suggesting that currently the situation could be considered in low hazard level in most of petroleum fields, but with increases in the extraction and use of petroleum, the discharge of produced water into the environment increases accordingly, this might be end up with negative impacts on the environment and health such as radiological contamination of aquatic and agricultural life.

Synthesis of Zirconium Oxychloride and Zirconia Low TENORM by Zircon Sand from Landak West Kalimantan

In order to enhance the added value of zircon minerals (ZrSiO4) derived from tailing gold mining in Mandor, Landak, West Kalimantan; the hydrometallurgical process is needed to obtain zirconium products such as zirconium Oxychloride (ZrOCl2.8H2O) and zirconia (ZrO2). Zirconium products that are sold must meet the requirement of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) or (ThO2 + U3O8) is below 500 ppm. The purpose of this research was to process zircon sand with TENORM content 1784 ppm to be ZrOCl2.8H2O and ZrO2 low TENORM. Zircon sand processing has been carried out through melting zircon sand with NaOH to bind Zr became Na2ZrO3 and Si as the impurities to become Na2SiO3, water leaching to separate Na2ZrO3 from Na2SiO3 and other impurities, acid leaching (HCl) to convert Na2ZrO3 to be zirconium oxychloride low Si (ZOC-1) then ZOC-1 to be zirconium sulfate base (ZBS), ZBS then being deposited to be ZrO(OH)2, ZrO(OH)2 converted to be zirconium oxychloride low TENORM (ZOC-2), ZOC-2 then being crystallized to be ZrOCl2.8H2O and calcinated to be zirconia. The results showed that zircon sand from Mandor, Landak, West Kalimantan could be synthesized into ZrOCl2.8H2O with NORM 1.2586 ppm and zirconia with NORM = 3.5511 ppm, both products have met the industrial-grade requirement.