Estimation of radiation doses to members of the public in Italy from intakes of some important naturally occurring radionuclides (238U, 234U, 235U, 226Ra, 228Ra, 224Ra and 210Po) in drinking water

Abstract The new German Radiation Protection Ordinance contains for the first time a systematic framework of regulations protecting workers and the public against radiation exposures from residues of industrial and mining processes containing enhanced levels of naturally occurring radionuclides (TENORM). These regulations will satisfy the requirements of the European Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM and serve as a common basis for the radiation protection activities of the German states in this field. The consideration of exposures from materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides gains on this basis an increased level of significance within the German radiation protection efforts. The overall goal of the new regulations is to keep the additional effective dose for the population from the recycling and disposal of TENORM below 1 mSv/a. In order to achieve this objective, companies in which such residues arise have to carry out representative measurements of activity concentrations in these materials. If exemption levels defined in the new regulations are exceeded, restrictions on the recycling and disposal come into effect. These exemption levels are nuclide specific and distinguish between material types and different recycling and disposal options. This specific definition of exemption criteria serves the goal to minimise the number of companies and the amount of residues affected by the new regulations to the extent possible, focussing the efforts of operators and regulators to those materials having the potential to actually cause radiation exposure problems. The specific exemption criteria were derived on the basis of an analysis of typical amounts and activity concentrations of industrial and mining residues with enhanced radioactivity contents in Germany. In a second step, practically applied options for the recycling and disposal of these materials were investigated. On this basis, generic scenarios for the radiation exposure of the workforce and the public were defined and doses were estimated. All relevant pathways including possible long term effects (ground water) were considered in these analyses. Based on the 1 mSv/a criterion, a catalogue of relevant materials, potentially requiring radiation protection measures, was developed. For these materials the practically applied recycling or disposal options were grouped into categories, for which specific exemption levels were derived. The derivation of these criteria was based on realistic estimates of radiation exposure, for example taking into account the dilution of the residues with other materials in technological processes or during the disposal in landfills. The residues subject to the new regulations mostly arise in large quantities over extended periods of time. This leads to significant variations of radionuclide concentrations depending on feed materials and process parameters. To carry out representative measurements without the necessity of taking a too large number of samples, therefore, requires an adequate measurement strategy. Particular aspects to be considered are uncertainties of the measurements themselves and the heterogeneity of the residues. In addition, the measurement strategy has to be compatible with diverse situations in the different industries affected. The framework developed for designing individual strategies for the various industries and types of residues satisfies these requirements and can also provide guidance for measurement campaigns in other areas. The paper outlines the general situation with regard to TENORM in Germany. The main streams of residues and options for their recycling or disposal are described. On this basis, scenarios used for the radiological evaluation are defined and examples for resulting radiation exposures are given. The exemption levels derived from this analysis are discussed. Finally, the framework for the design and implementation of an adequate measurement strategy is outlined.

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Naturally Occurring Radionuclides in Soil Samples of Bureti Sub-County of Kericho County Kenya

Radiation Protection Dosimetry ◽

10.1093/rpd/ncab006 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

C K Rotich ◽

N O Hashim ◽

M W Chege ◽

C Nyambura

Keyword(s):

Activity Concentration ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Radiation Hazard ◽

Average Dose ◽

The Public ◽

Dose Rates ◽

Average Value ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Naturally Occurring Radionuclides ◽

Average Activity

Abstract The activity concentration of soil samples of Bureti sub-county was measured using thallium-activated sodium iodide detector. To ascertain the level of radiation hazard to the public, gamma radiation dose rates were also estimated. The average activity concentration due to 40K, 226Ra and 232Th for soil samples are 1164 ± 70, 106 ± 8 and 79 ± 5 Bqkg−1, respectively. An average dose rate of 145 ± 10 nGyh−1 was recorded, which is about 2.5 times higher than the world average value of 60 nGyh−1(UNSCEAR). On the other hand, an average outdoor effective dose of 0.35 ± 0.02 mSvy−1 was measured, which is lower than the ICRP safety limit of 1 mSvy−1. This shows that the radiation hazards from naturally occurring terrestrial radionuclides in Bureti is low and therefore human radiation exposure is within the accepted limits.

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Removal naturally occurring radionuclides from drinking water using a filter specifically designed for Drinking Water Treatment Plants

Chemosphere ◽

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.09.148 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 167 ◽

pp. 107-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

A. Baeza ◽

A. Salas ◽

J. Guillén ◽

A. Muñoz-Serrano ◽

M.Á. Ontalba-Salamanca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Water Treatment ◽

Drinking Water Treatment ◽

Water Treatment Plants ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Naturally Occurring Radionuclides

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Radionuclides in deep-sea fish and other organisms from the North Atlantic Ocean

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsq088 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 333-340 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Fernando P. Carvalho ◽

João M. Oliveira ◽

Margarida Malta

Keyword(s):

North Atlantic ◽

Deep Sea ◽

North Atlantic Ocean ◽

Radiation Doses ◽

Anthropogenic Radionuclides ◽

The North ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Naturally Occurring Radionuclides ◽

The North Atlantic ◽

Sea Fish

Abstract Carvalho, F. P., Oliveira, J. M., and Malta, M. 2011. Radionuclides in deep-sea fish and other organisms from the North Atlantic Ocean – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 333–340. The naturally occurring radionuclides potassium-40 (40K), radium-226 (226Ra), polonium-210 (210Po), and lead-210 (210Pb) were measured in commercial fish species such as cod, halibut, redfish, and shark from several fishing grounds in the North Atlantic, as well as the anthropogenic radionuclides caesium-137 (137Cs) and plutonium isotopes (238Pu and 239+240Pu). The concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides were compared with those of anthropogenic origin. The main contributors to the radiation dose were 210Po and 40K, with anthropogenic radionuclides accounting for just a small contribution. We provide the first measurements of naturally occurring radionuclides in abyssal organisms, including fish, molluscs, and crustaceans, from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. In these organisms, radionuclide concentrations and the absorbed radiation doses were dominated by 210Po and were comparable with those determined in related coastal species, confirming that the deep-sea fauna do not live in an environment protected from ionizing radiation. Absorbed radiation doses from naturally occurring radionuclides still exceed radiation doses caused by anthropogenic radionuclides introduced into the Northeast Atlantic.

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