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da Costa Dantas R, Navoni JA, de Alencar FLS, da Costa Xavier LA, do Amaral VS. Natural radioactivity in Brazil: a systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:143-157. [PMID: 31832968 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06962-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural radioactivity is a public health concern worldwide. Its deleterious effects are largely associated with emitting ionizing particles which generate innumerable toxicological consequences to human being. The present study aimed to describe the research state of the art on natural radioactivity in Brazil through a systematic review limited to articles published in the twenty-first century in the PubMed, SciELO, Lilacs, and Google Scholar databases. A total of 55 research articles were considered for this purpose. Based on the collected sample types, the radiation analysis in most of the scientific reports was performed on solid samples (soil/sediment/rocks), followed by water and air. In fact, most of the available information came from geological studies. A wide range of concentrations and a variety of radionuclides have been assessed, with radium being the most cited. Most of the studies described radiation levels above the international guidelines, and consider the Brazilian territory as a high natural background radiation region (HNBR). In comparison with other HNBR areas, the scientific information about the related risks to human health is still scarce. There is uncertainty about the real impact of natural radioactivity on human health, as there is a lack of scientific information for most of the country about this issue. The analysis and comparison of the available information highlights the potential risks linked to natural radioactivity and the need to incorporate suitable environmental management policies about this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richelly da Costa Dantas
- Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia (RENORBIO), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Julio Alejandro Navoni
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente (PRODEMA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Programa de Pós-graduação em Uso Sustentavel de Recursos Naturais (PPgUSRN), Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Feliphe Lacerda Souza de Alencar
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente (PRODEMA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Sen. Salgado Filho, Lagoa Nova Natal, RN, CEP 59078-970, Brazil
| | - Luíza Araújo da Costa Xavier
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Sen. Salgado Filho, Lagoa Nova Natal, RN, CEP 59078-970, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Viviane Souza do Amaral
- Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia (RENORBIO), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente (PRODEMA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Sen. Salgado Filho, Lagoa Nova Natal, RN, CEP 59078-970, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
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Miyake M, Nakai Y, Yamaguchi I, Hirata H, Kunugita N, Williams BB, Swartz HM. IN-VIVO RADIATION DOSIMETRY USING PORTABLE L BAND EPR: ON-SITE MEASUREMENT OF VOLUNTEERS IN FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE, JAPAN. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2016; 172:248-253. [PMID: 27522046 PMCID: PMC5225973 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncw214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to make direct measurements of the possible radiation-induced EPR signals in the teeth of volunteers who were residents in Fukushima within 80 km distance from the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant at the time of the disaster, and continued to live there for at least 3 month after the disaster. Thirty four volunteers were enrolled in this study. These measurements were made using a portable L-band EPR spectrometer, which was originally developed in the EPR Center at Dartmouth. All measurements were performed using surface loop resonators that have been specifically designed for the upper incisor teeth. Potentially these signals include not only radiation-induced signals induced by the incident but also background signals including those from prior radiation exposure from the environment and medical exposure. We demonstrated that it is feasible to transport the dosimeter to the measurement site and make valid measurements. The intensity of the signals that were obtained was not significantly above those seen in volunteers who had not had potential radiation exposures at Fukushima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minoru Miyake
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 750-1 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun , Kagawa Prefecture 761-0793, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakai
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 750-1 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun , Kagawa Prefecture 761-0793, Japan
| | - Ichiro Yamaguchi
- Department of Environmental Health, NIPH (National Institute of Public Health ), 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi , Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Hirata
- EPR group in the Division of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Hokkaido University, Kita 14, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0814, Japan
| | - Naoki Kunugita
- Department of Environmental Health, NIPH (National Institute of Public Health ), 2-3-6 Minami, Wako-shi , Saitama 351-0197, Japan
| | - Benjamin B Williams
- Dartmouth EPR Center, Department of Radiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Harold M Swartz
- Dartmouth EPR Center, Department of Radiology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
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Bailiff I, Sholom S, McKeever S. Retrospective and emergency dosimetry in response to radiological incidents and nuclear mass-casualty events: A review. RADIAT MEAS 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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