Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles) ISSN (Print) 1477-6545 - ISSN (Online) 1741-9190 Published by Inderscience Publishers[450 journals]
Authors:Cleomacio Miguel Da Silva, Crescêncio Andrade Da Silva Filho Pages: 89 - 98 Abstract: This study seeks to determine the concentrations of <SUP align=right>238</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>232</SUP>Th and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K 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 <SUP align=right>238</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>232</SUP>Th and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K in the water samples were all under the detection limit. The concentrations of <SUP align=right>238</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>232</SUP>Th and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K in the sediments varied from 5 to 76 Bq kg<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, from 11 to 521 Bq kg<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, and from 80 to 542 Bq kg<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, 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)
Authors:Siaka Yvette Flore Tchuente, Yakum Ntaw Susan Younui, Serge Alain Djepang, Saïdou 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<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for <SUP align=right>238</SUP>U, 0.07 ± 0.03-2.1 ± 0.9 mBq.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for <SUP align=right>235</SUP>U, 0.6 ± 0.2-5.1 ± 0.6 mBq.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for <SUP align=right>234</SUP>U, 10 ± 1 mBq.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for <SUP align=right>226</SUP>Ra, 10 ± 2-16.8 ± 2.2 mBq.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for <SUP align=right>210</SUP>Po. Ingestion dose due to intake of <SUP align=right>238</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>235</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>234</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>226</SUP>Ra and <SUP align=right>210</SUP>Po in water was assessed for six age groups. The mean ingestion dose ranges from 8.8 μSv.yr<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for adult to 123 μSv.yr<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> for infant, higher than the reference level of the committed effective dose (100 μSv.yr<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>) recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The uranium mass ranges between 0.014 μg.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> and 0.18 μg.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, below the reference mass which is 30 μg.l<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> showing that the uranium toxicity is low. <SUP align=right>234</SUP>U/<SUP align=right>238</SUP>U 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)
Authors:Mounir Aït-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)
Authors:Mounir Aït-Ziane, Zohra Lounis-Mokrani, Malika Allab Pages: 132 - 142 Abstract: The levels of natural radioactivity for <SUP align=right>226</SUP>Ra, <SUP align=right>228</SUP>Ra and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K 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 <SUP align=right>226</SUP>Ra, <SUP align=right>228</SUP>Ra and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K, respectively. The average values of activity concentration for <SUP align=right>226</SUP>Ra, <SUP align=right>228</SUP>Ra and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K 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)
Authors:David O. Kpeglo, Juan Mantero, Emmanuel O. Darko, Augustine Faanu, Edith A. Amoatey, Guillermo Manjón, 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 <SUP align=right>238</SUP>U, <SUP align=right>232</SUP>Th-series and <SUP align=right>40</SUP>K 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)
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<SUP align=right>−2</SUP> h<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, 3.05 mBq kg<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> h<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> to 1545.60 mB q m<SUP align=right>−2</SUP> h<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, 43.14 mBq kg<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> h<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, with an average of 271.4192 mBq m<SUP align=right>−2</SUP> h<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> and 10.23 mBq kg<SUP align=right>−1</SUP> h<SUP align=right>−1</SUP>, 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)