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International Journal of Low Radiation
Journal Prestige (SJR): 0.115

Number of Followers: 1

Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
ISSN (Print) 1477-6545 - ISSN (Online) 1741-9190
Published by Inderscience Publishers

[449 journals]

Natural radionuclides in water and sediments of the São Francisco
River in Petrolina, Brazil
- Authors: Cleomacio Miguel Da Silva, CrescÃªncio Andrade Da Silva Filho
 Pages: 89 - 98
 Abstract: This study seeks to determine the concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in water and sediments of the São Francisco River in Petrolina. For this purpose, high resolution gamma ray spectrometry with hyperpure germanium was performed. The levels of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the water samples were all under the detection limit. The concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the sediments varied from 5 to 76 Bq kg−1, from 11 to 521 Bq kg−1, and from 80 to 542 Bq kg−1, respectively. The results indicated an increase of availability of these radionuclides through the trophic chain in the São Francisco River.
 Keywords: TENORM; radioactive isotopes; uranium; thorium; toxicity; risk
 Citation: International Journal of Low Radiation, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019) pp. 89 - 98
 PubDate: 2019-11-04T23:20:50-05:00
 DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103329
 Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019)
Natural radioactivity measurements in drinking water and ingestion dose
assessment: case of the uranium bearing region of Poli, Cameroon
- Authors: Siaka Yvette Flore Tchuente, Yakum Ntaw Susan Younui, Serge Alain Djepang, SaÃ¯dou
 Pages: 99 - 114
 Abstract: This study aimed at measuring radioactivity in drinking water and to assess corresponding ingestion dose to the public and the uranium toxicity. Twenty samples were collected in the uranium bearing region of Poli, Cameroon. α- and γ-spectrometry were used for radioactivity measurements. The range of activity concentrations for each radionuclide is 0.7 ± 0.3-3.5 ± 0.5 mBq.l−1 for 238U, 0.07 ± 0.03-2.1 ± 0.9 mBq.l−1 for 235U, 0.6 ± 0.2-5.1 ± 0.6 mBq.l−1 for 234U, 10 ± 1 mBq.l−1 for 226Ra, 10 ± 2-16.8 ± 2.2 mBq.l−1 for 210Po. Ingestion dose due to intake of 238U, 235U, 234U, 226Ra and 210Po in water was assessed for six age groups. The mean ingestion dose ranges from 8.8 μSv.yr−1 for adult to 123 μSv.yr−1 for infant, higher than the reference level of the committed effective dose (100 μSv.yr−1) recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The uranium mass ranges between 0.014 μg.l−1 and 0.18 μg.l−1, below the reference mass which is 30 μg.l−1 showing that the uranium toxicity is low. 234U/238U isotopic ratio in water was observed with values near the equilibrium on 70% of collected samples and far from equilibrium reaching 3.09 in a borehole.
 Keywords: water; uranium; radium; polonium; α-spectrometry; γ-spectrometry; ingestion dose; toxicity
 Citation: International Journal of Low Radiation, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019) pp. 99 - 114
 PubDate: 2019-11-04T23:20:50-05:00
 DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103330
 Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019)
Preliminary study of effect of environmental parameter variations on
indoor radon concentrations in Mediterranean climate
- Authors: Mounir AÃ¯t-Ziane, Zohra Lounis-Mokrani, Malika Allab
  Pages: 115 - 131
  Abstract: For the radon map elaboration, radon measurements are generally performed in different seasons. Correction factors must be applied in order to represent comparable concentrations. The effects of environmental parameters have been investigated for the determination of these seasonal correction factors. Radon concentration measurements have been performed in several locations in Algiers over more than 17 seasonal periods. The average concentrations showed that the daily maximum appears in the early morning and the daily minimum in the late afternoon. Furthermore, the indoor radon concentration negatively correlates with both the indoor temperature and the relative humidity with correlation coefficients equal respectively to −0.22 and −0.31. The annual pattern features a maximum around December and a minimum around June.
  Keywords: radon; Mediterranean climate; seasonal radon variation
  Citation: International Journal of Low Radiation, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019) pp. 115 - 131
  PubDate: 2019-11-04T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103343
  Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019)
Measurement of natural radioactivity in Kufa River, Iraq
- Authors: Mounir AÃ¯t-Ziane, Zohra Lounis-Mokrani, Malika Allab
 Pages: 132 - 142
 Abstract: The levels of natural radioactivity for 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K were measured for 28 water samples taken from Kufa River inside Governorate of Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf in Iraq. Measurements were performed using a HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer system. The activity concentration (mBq/l) varied from 17.70 ± 1.83 to 58.90 ± 3.34, 4.60 ± 0.86 to 37.10 ± 2.44 and 142.56 ± 07.96 to 652.67 ± 17.03 for 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K, respectively. The average values of activity concentration for 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K were 35.14 (mBq/l), 19.13 (mBq/l) and 352.84 (mBq/l), respectively. Annual effective dose in (nSv/y) was also calculated and all the annual effective dose values are much lower than the recommended values. So the water of Kufa River in Najaf Governorate, Iraq is safe to be used by humans either as drinking water or for daily routine activity.
 Keywords: natural radioactivity; HPGe gamma-spectrometry; water; annual effective dose; Kufa River
 Citation: International Journal of Low Radiation, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019) pp. 132 - 142
 PubDate: 2019-11-04T23:20:50-05:00
 DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103344
 Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019)
Assessment of natural radioactivity levels and associated radiological
hazard in scale and sludge from Jubilee oilfield of Ghana
- Authors: David O. Kpeglo, Juan Mantero, Emmanuel O. Darko, Augustine Faanu, Edith A. Amoatey, Guillermo ManjÃ³n, Ignacio Vioque, Rafael GarcÃa-Tenorio
 Pages: 143 - 157
 Abstract: Knowledge of accurate radio-isotopic signatures and chemical constituents is essential in assessing potential radiological hazards to the public and workers from exposure to NORM waste. For that reason, scale and sludge samples from Ghanaian oilfields were assessed using alpha spectrometry, gamma spectrometry, radon monitoring and scanning electron microscope techniques. Activity concentration of 238U, 232Th-series and 40K radionuclides for NORM residues have been evaluated. Fourteen trace elements were also identified and semi-qualitatively quantified. The obtained results clearly reflect that scale and sludge may present radiological risk for workers, public and environment.
 Keywords: NORM waste; trace elements; scale; sludge; radon; gamma spectrometry; alpha spectrometry; scanning electron microscopy
 Citation: International Journal of Low Radiation, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019) pp. 143 - 157
 PubDate: 2019-11-04T23:20:50-05:00
 DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103346
 Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019)
Measurement of radon exhalation rate in various building materials used in
Morocco
- Authors: Murad Al Mugahed, Farida Bentayeb
 Pages: 158 - 171
 Abstract: Measurements of radon surface and mass exhalation rates were made for 35 types of building material samples frequently used in Morocco. In this survey, we used the Can technique, containing CR-39 detectors, to estimate the radon exposure from building materials. The surface and mass exhalation rates ranged from 37.92 mBq−2 h−1, 3.05 mBq kg−1 h−1 to 1545.60 mB q m−2 h−1, 43.14 mBq kg−1 h−1, with an average of 271.4192 mBq m−2 h−1 and 10.23 mBq kg−1 h−1, respectively. All the values of effective radium content and effective dose were calculated and they were within the safe limit in all samples studied.
 Keywords: radon exhalation; effective radium content; CR-39 NTDs; can technique; building materials; annual effective dose
 Citation: International Journal of Low Radiation, Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019) pp. 158 - 171
 PubDate: 2019-11-04T23:20:50-05:00
 DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103347
 Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2019)