Review on monitoring natural and environmental radiation and its potential from mining products

Monitoring of natural radiation in Indonesia has been carried out by various parties, from researchers, academics at universities to special agencies tasked with handling this matter, such as the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) and the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency (Bapeten). Batan through the Center for Radiation Safety and Metrology Technology (PTKMR) is in charge of monitoring natural radiation at the national level. The purpose of this paper is to review the monitoring of natural and environmental radiation in Indonesia and the potential of mining products as a source of natural radiation. The mining products that will be reviewed in this paper are natural uranium and thorium which are usually found in several mines, such as tin mines and others.

Review on monitoring natural and environmental radiation and its potential from mining products

Monitoring of natural radiation in Indonesia has been carried out by various parties, from researchers, academics at universities to special agencies tasked with handling this matter, such as the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) and the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency (Bapeten). Batan through the Center for Radiation Safety and Metrology Technology (PTKMR) is in charge of monitoring natural radiation at the national level. The purpose of this paper is to review the monitoring of natural and environmental radiation in Indonesia and the potential of mining products as a source of natural radiation. The mining products that will be reviewed in this paper are natural uranium and thorium which are usually found in several mines, such as tin mines and others.

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations and Associated Doses Around Three Dumpsites in Lagos, Nigeria

Monitoring of environmental radiation helps to ascertain healthy vicinity which is a catalyst to the economic development of the area. Activity concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides in three (3) dumpsites in Lagos State, Olusosun Landfill, Ojota, Ilupeju dumpsite and, Gbagada dumpsite Lagos state, Nigeria were investigated using gamma-ray spectroscopy to obtain the level of radioactive exposure hazards experienced by people living in these vicinities. A total of thirty soil samples were randomly collected into a polythene bag. They were oven-dried at 110°C, pulverized, and sieved. Quantities of the samples (400 g) were sealed in cylindrical sample holders and kept for about 28 days to attain secular equilibrium between 226Ra and its decay products before analysis using gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean activity concentration obtained for 40K, 238U, and 234Th at, Ilupeju, Gbagada, and Ojota were 339.23±33.66, 11.83±19.174, 11.95±22.752 Bq/kg, 337.56 ± 36.22, 11.49±22.14, 11.54 ± 19.33 Bq/kg and 334.87±32.44, 11.42±22.39, 11.56±18.52 Bq/kg respectively. The mean absorbed dose nGy/h, annual effective dose mSv/y were calculated and their results were found to be below the global values. The results indicate that the radiation level within the dumpsites poses no significant health risk to the people living close to the dumpsites.

PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT OF RADIONUCLIDES RELEASE OF INDIVIDUAL DOSE CODE PROGRAM FOR RADIATION MONITORING PURPOSES

Environmental radiation monitoring is one of the important efforts in protecting society and the environment from radiation hazards, both natural and artificial. The presence of three nuclear research reactors and plans to build a nuclear power plant reactor prompted Indonesia to prepare a radiation monitoring system for safety and security (SPRKK). The goal of the study is to provide an appropriate method for developing radiation monitoring system to support the development of nuclear power plant in the near future. For this preliminary study, the author developed a code program using Gaussian distribution model approach for predicting radionuclide release and individual dose acceptancy by human being within 16 wind directions sectors and up to 50 km distance. The model includes estimation of source term from the nuclear installation, release of radionuclides source into air following Gaussian diffusion model, some of the release deposit to the land and entering human being through inhalation, direct external exposure, and resuspension, and predicted its accepted individual dose. This model has been widely used in various code program such as SimPact and PC-Cosyma. For this study, the model will be validated using SimPact code program. The model has been successfully developed with less than 5% deviation. Further study will be done by evaluating the model with real measuring data from research reactor installation and prepare for interfacing with real time radiation data acquisition and monitoring as part of radiation monitoring system during normal and accident condition.

Research on dose correction method of vehicle-borne environmental radiation measurement equipment

This study establishes a near-ground reference radiation field based on typical radionuclides of the Fukushima accident in response to the need for vehicle-borne environmental radiation measurement equipment that can accurately evaluate the environmental dose of nuclear accidents. The Monte Carlo code FLUKA is used to study the environmental dose of such equipment in the early and mid-late reference radiation fields of nuclear accidents. Results of the air dose rate at 1 m above the ground were corrected to eliminate data difference between diverse measurement platforms. Simulation results show that t he dose correction factor (CF) fluctuates at approximately 0.8813 in the early reference radiation field and at approximately 0.6711 in the mid-late reference radiation field. This deviation of the dose CF in the early and mid-late reference radiation fields is within 2% and is not affected by the change in detector position. This research can be applied to obtain more accurate measurement of an ambient dose in the near-ground radiation field and support the vehicle-borne environmental radiation measurement technology.

Outdoor Environmental Radiation Monitoring and Estimation of Radiation Risk on Public in New Market Thana, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Real-time outdoor environmental gamma radiation (RTOEGR) dose rates were monitored at New Market Thana in Dhaka city to generate a baseline database that would help to know any deviation after operation of Rooppur NPP. The RTOEGR monitoring was carried out using a digital portable radiation monitoring device (DPRMD). The RTOEGR dose rates at the area of New Market Thana were ranged from 0.103 ± 0.004 µSv/h to 0.168 ± 0.007 µSv/h with an average of 0.135 ± 0.004 µSv/h. The public's annual effective doses were calculated based on RTOEGR dose rates, and those were varied from 0.181 ± 0.007 mSv to 0.295 ± 0.007 mSv with an average of 0.238 ± 0.007 mSv. Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) on public health was estimated based on the annual effective dose. The Public's ELCR were from 0.720×10-3 to 1.174×10-3 with an average of 0.892×10-3, which is higher than the worldwide standard value of 0.29×10-3. The mean RTOEGR dose rate of the New Market Thana in Dhaka city is comparable to that of Sabzevar city (Iran), Kathmandu city of Tribhuvan University (Nepal), Baghdad city (Iraq), Kirikkale city (Turkey).

Radionuclide Content of Aerosols within the Lower Atmosphere of Major Towns in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

Radioactivity analysis of aerosols within the lower atmosphere of some selected towns in Plateau state, North central Nigeria was carried out using Respirable Dust sampler (APM 460NL) and Gamma Ray Spectroscopy technique to ascertain their radiological safety and radiation dose to the general public. The mean mass concentration of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) aerosols were found to be 234.4 and 390.6 (ug/m3) respectively for Pankshin; 381.3 and 312.5 (ug/m3) respectively for Shendam, and 208.3 and 250.0 (ug/m3) for Jos. The mean activity concentration of Potassium- 40, Radium-226 and Thorium-232 in the selected towns were found to be 510.82,52.16 and 29.76 Bq/kg respectively. Average values of the following radiological parameter Da, AEDE, HEX and AGED were 4.3439 nGy/yr, 0.0053MSv/yr,0.025Bq/kg, and 30.3470 mSv/yr respectively.The activity concentration of Potassium-40 was beyond the permissible limit at Shandan while that of Radium-226 was beyond the set limit in Jos and Pankshin. The concentration of Thorium-232 in the study areas was below permissible limit. Continuous exposure to these radionuclides and their progenies including their synergetic effects with trace metals in the aerosols may pose several risk to public health. This work is useful in regional environmental radiation monitoring and is part of efforts geared towards generating baseline data for environmental radioactivity levels within North Central Nigeria .