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Montes ML, Errico LA, Mercader RC, Taylor MA. Review and statistical analysis of activity values reported for coastal sands worldwide. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 364:143201. [PMID: 39214408 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The activity of natural radionuclides is unevenly distributed across the Earth's crust, with certain areas exhibiting significantly higher levels than others, known as High Background Radiation Areas (HBRAs). This study presents a statistical analysis of reported activity values for coastal sands globally. Through this statistical analysis, costal sands were classified into four categories based on their activity levels, providing a standardized framework to compare the natural radioactivity of these sands. This classification is a valuable tool for identifying populations exposed to different radiation levels, which is essential for the study of stochastic effects. The study proposes thresholds to define HBRAs as regions with activity values exceeding 203 Bq/kg for 238U, 517 Bq/kg for 232Th, or 960 Bq/kg for 40K. Regions with lower values are classified as NonHBRAs. Further subdivision of these categories resulted in four distinct regions: NonHBRA-, NonHBRA+, HBRA-, and HBRA+. The activity values for these subdivisions are 92 Bq/kg and 2,903 Bq/kg for 238U, 94 Bq/kg and 7,230 Bq/kg for 232Th, and 901 Bq/kg and 2,298 Bq/kg for 40K. By calculating the external dose rates from the reported activity data, a threshold of 357 nGy/h was identified as the dose boundary separating NonHBRAs from HBRAs. The values for the subdivisions resulted 101 nGy/h and 3,867 nGy/h. The study also explores the content of these natural radionuclides in relation to their bearing minerals and discusses correlations between the reported activity values and the characteristics of the sands. Additionally, the activity of the anthropogenic radionuclide 137Cs (reported values ranging from the detection limit to 63 Bq/kg) is examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Montes
- IFLP- CONICET- CCT La Plata, CC 67, 115 & 49, 1900, La Plata, Argentina; Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina.
| | - L A Errico
- IFLP- CONICET- CCT La Plata, CC 67, 115 & 49, 1900, La Plata, Argentina; Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina; UNNOBA, Argentina
| | - R C Mercader
- IFLP- CONICET- CCT La Plata, CC 67, 115 & 49, 1900, La Plata, Argentina; Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina
| | - M A Taylor
- IFLP- CONICET- CCT La Plata, CC 67, 115 & 49, 1900, La Plata, Argentina; Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina; Facultad de Ingeniería UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
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Al Rashdi MR, El Mowafi W, Alaabed S, El Tokhi M, Arabi AA. Radiological baseline around the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, UAE. ARAB J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2021.103125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Kang TW, Park WP, Han YU, Bong KM, Kim K. Natural and artificial radioactivity in volcanic ash soils of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, and assessment of the radiation hazards: importance of soil properties. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-020-07024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Assessment of radioactivity contribution and transfer characteristics of natural radionuclides in agroecosystem. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06986-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Montes ML, Rizzoto MG, Ayub JJ, Torres Astorga R, Taylor MA. An alternative methodology to determine 210Pb activity soil profiles. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 208-209:105998. [PMID: 31255900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.105998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Unsupported 210Pb (Pbexc) is generated in air and is subsequently deposited on soil surface. The Pbexc can be used for sediment dating, soil erosion/sedimentation and air mass studies. In many cases, 210Pb activity determination (gamma ray 46.5 keV) cannot be performed due to the lack of efficiency calibration curve, especially when radioactive patron source is not available. This work presents an alternative methodology to obtain the 210Pb activity values, based on the activity definition and the attenuation coefficient determinations and assuming that soil samples coming from depth higher than 25 cm only contain 210Pb generated in the soil (Pbexc free, i.e., for those soil layers the 210Pb activity is equal to the 226Ra activity, at secular equilibrium). The proposed methodology was evaluated using soils from La Plata region, Argentina. The same soil samples were also analyzed in a second laboratory by the conventional methodology. The obtained results indicated that the proposed procedure can be used as a good alternative in cases where a calibration sample is not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Montes
- IFLP- CONICET- CCT La Plata, CC 67, Diagonal 113 y 64, 1900, La Plata, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina.
| | - M G Rizzoto
- Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis, UNSL/CONICET, Ejercito de los Andes 950, Argentina
| | - J Juri Ayub
- Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis, UNSL/CONICET, Ejercito de los Andes 950, Argentina; Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas - Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia - Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Argentina
| | - R Torres Astorga
- Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis, UNSL/CONICET, Ejercito de los Andes 950, Argentina
| | - M A Taylor
- IFLP- CONICET- CCT La Plata, CC 67, Diagonal 113 y 64, 1900, La Plata, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ingeniería - Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina
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Selçuk Zorer Ö. Evaluations of environmental hazard parameters of natural and some artificial radionuclides in river water and sediments. Microchem J 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2018.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Kayakökü H, Doğru M. Radioactivity analysis of soil samples taken from the western and northern shores of Lake Van, Turkey. Appl Radiat Isot 2017; 128:231-236. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Chaparro MAE, Suresh G, Chaparro MAE, Ramasamy V, Sundarrajan M. Magnetic assessment and pollution status of beach sediments from Kerala coast (southwestern India). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 117:171-177. [PMID: 28162248 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Natural and anthropogenic activities along the coastal region of densely populated Kerala may introduce hazardous components into the coastal environment. The present study aimed to investigate the sources and impacts of hazardous components in beach sediments by environmental magnetism methods as additional tools. Magnetic parameters (such as mass-specific magnetic susceptibility χ=-1.2-154.4×10-8m3kg-1) and ratios that describe the magnetic properties of minerals such as Fe-oxides, indicate variable concentration of mixtures of magnetite and hematite (magnetite/hematite). The direct significant relationships between the variables indicate that higher concentration magnetic parameters are associated with higher radionuclides and metal contents. Magnetic properties and multivariate statistical analyses evidence the presence of contrasting groups defined only using a reduced number of magnetic variables. One of these groups, the central area of the Kerala coastline, showed the highest magnetic concentrations of mixtures of magnetite/hematite and higher values (up to 6.7) of pollution load index because of extensive anthropogenic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos A E Chaparro
- Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIFICEN, CONICET-UNCPBA), Pinto 399, 7000 Tandil, Argentina.
| | - G Suresh
- Department of Physics, Theivanai Ammal College for Women (Autonomous), Villupuram, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Mauro A E Chaparro
- Centro Marplatense de Investigaciones Matemáticas (CEMIM-UNMDP-CONICET), Diagonal J. B. Alberdi 2695, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - V Ramasamy
- Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Tamilnadu, India
| | - M Sundarrajan
- Department of Physics, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya, Enathur, Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu, India
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Montes ML, Rivas PC, Taylor MA, Mercader RC. Approximate total Fe content determined by Mössbauer spectrometry: Application to determine the correlation between gamma-ray-emitter activities and total content of Fe phases in soils of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2016; 162-163:113-117. [PMID: 27227563 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Pearson correlation coefficients between 40K, 226Ra and 232Th activities and the total Fe phase fractions yielded by Mössbauer spectroscopy have been calculated for soils of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Total fractions of Fe phases have been obtained from the relative fractions reported in previous works weighted by the Fe soil content and the recoilless-fraction of each Fe phase. An approximate method based on the relationship between the Mössbauer spectral absorption area (obtained from the 57Fe Mössbauer data) and the total Fe concentration (determined by colorimetric methods, after microwave assisted acid digestion of soil samples) has been used for the first time to determine the Fe concentration in soils with an accuracy of 15%. Protocol to extend the method for unknown samples is also discussed. The determined new coefficients differ from those reported previously. A significant and positive correlation between the total fraction of Fe2+ and the 40K activity values has been obtained. This result validates the hypothesis put forward in a previous work, i.e., that illite captures the 40K existing in the soil. In addition, with the new approximation, the Pearson correlation coefficients for the other natural radionuclides give values that indicate that the methodology reported here is appropriate to study the correlations between the activity values with the total fractions of Fe phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Montes
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, IFLP-CONICET, Argentina.
| | - P C Rivas
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, IFLP-CONICET, Argentina
| | - M A Taylor
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, IFLP-CONICET, Argentina
| | - R C Mercader
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, IFLP-CONICET, Argentina
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Bezuidenhout J. In situ gamma ray measurements of radionuclides at a disused phosphate mine on the West Coast of South Africa. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2015; 150:1-8. [PMID: 26254719 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
High levels of uranium and its radioactive progeny like radium is normally associated with phosphate mining. In Situ gamma ray spectroscopy as a survey tool has been successfully applied to assess radionuclide concentrations in various geographical environments. A transportable and robust gamma ray detection system (GISPI) was therefore employed to determine the concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides at a disused phosphate mine on the West Coast of South Africa. The concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium were measured and plotted. The measurements showed fairly high concentrations with medians of 320 Bq/kg for (226)Ra, 64 Bq/kg for (232)Th and 390 Bq/kg for (40)K. The highest concentrations were however confined to specific areas of the mine. The effective dose due to gamma irradiation for the various areas of the mine was also estimated and the highest estimated level was 0.45 mSv/y. The article finally draws conclusions as to the origins and impact of the radiation.
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Isinkaye OM, Jibiri NN, Olomide AA. Radiological health assessment of natural radioactivity in the vicinity of Obajana cement factory, North Central Nigeria. J Med Phys 2015; 40:52-9. [PMID: 26150688 PMCID: PMC4471646 DOI: 10.4103/0971-6203.152256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Revised: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Measurements of activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in and around Obajana cement factory, North Central Nigeria have been carried out in this study to determine the activity levels of natural radionuclides in different environmental matrices in order to assess the radiological health hazards associated with the use of these matrices by the local population. A low-background Pb-shielded gamma spectroscopic counting assembly utilizing NaI (Tl) detector was employed for the measurements. The results show that sediment samples have the highest activity concentrations of all the radionuclides relative to soil, farmland soil, and rock samples. The radium equivalent activity and indoor gamma dose rates together with the corresponding annual effective indoor doses evaluated were found to be lower than their permissible limits. It suffices to say, that contrary to age-long fear of radiation risks to the population in the vicinity of the cement factory, no excessive radiological health hazards either indoors and/or outdoors is envisaged. Therefore, the environmental matrices around the factory could be used without any restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omoniyi Matthew Isinkaye
- Department of Physics, Radiation and Health Physics Division, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria
| | - Nnamdi N Jibiri
- Radiation and Health Physics Laboratory, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Adebowale A Olomide
- Radiation and Health Physics Laboratory, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Kritsananuwat R, Arae H, Fukushi M, Sahoo SK, Chanyotha S. Natural radioactivity survey on soils originated from southern part of Thailand as potential sites for nuclear power plants from radiological viewpoint and risk assessment. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-015-3994-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Almayahi B, Tajuddin A, Jaafar M. Radiation hazard indices of soil and water samples in Northern Malaysian Peninsula. Appl Radiat Isot 2012; 70:2652-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2012.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Determination of radioactivity and heavy metals of Bakirçay river in Western Turkey. Appl Radiat Isot 2012; 70:2494-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2012.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Revised: 06/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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