Study the radioactive concentration for soil samples contaminated with depleted uranium in Al-Nahrawan site at Baghdad governorate using high purity germanium detector

This study is investigating the radioactivity in soil samples at the Al-Nahrawan site. The radiation survey appears there are 3000 square meters area are contaminated with DU in AL-Nahrawan site identified using Geiger–Müller (GM) for radiation survey and gamma spectrometry for 52 soil samples analysis taken from AL-Nahrawan site at different depths (0-70) cm and different locations. The results of gamma analysis using high-purity germanium show that the ratio between 235U/238U is less than 0.00720 (neutral ratio), and it has different values from 0.002-0.00588, and the average value of radioactive nuclides concentration for (238U, 235U and 40K) are (76019.61, 259.55 and 147.5) Bq/kg respectively, these values are higher than the (BG) radioactive concentration levels in Iraq for (238U and 235U) isotopes, and the analysis of 40K concentration appeared in the acceptable limits. The health effects of depleted uranium in the human body it is exposed to many health troubles through the entry of uranium oxide particles.

3D printing 18F radioactive phantoms for PET imaging

Purpose Phantoms are routinely used in molecular imaging to assess scanner performance. However, traditional phantoms with fillable shapes do not replicate human anatomy. 3D-printed phantoms have overcome this by creating phantoms which replicate human anatomy which can be filled with radioactive material. The problem with these is that small objects suffer to a greater extent than larger objects from the effects of inactive walls, and therefore, phantoms without these are desirable. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of creating resin-based 3D-printed phantoms using 18F. Methods Radioactive resin was created using an emulsion of printer resin and 18F-FDG. A series of test objects were printed including twenty identical cylinders, ten spheres with increasing diameters (2 to 20 mm), and a double helix. Radioactive concentration uniformity, printing accuracy and the amount of leaching were assessed. Results Creating radioactive resin was simple and effective. The radioactive concentration was uniform among identical objects; the CoV of the signal was 0.7% using a gamma counter. The printed cylinders and spheres were found to be within 4% of the model dimensions. A double helix was successfully printed as a test for the printer and appeared as expected on the PET scanner. The amount of radioactivity leached into the water was measurable (0.72%) but not visible above background on the imaging. Conclusions Creating an 18F radioactive resin emulsion is a simple and effective way to create accurate and complex phantoms without inactive walls. This technique could be used to print clinically realistic phantoms. However, they are single use and cannot be made hollow without an exit hole. Also, there is a small amount of leaching of the radioactivity to take into consideration.

Plutonium and Americium Inventories in Soil Cores from the English Lake District, Cumbria (UK)

Environmental radioactivity has been reported in the stationary wetlands closer to the natural water basins in Great Britain, precisely in the English Lake District (Cumbria, UK) often emphasise on the investigation carried out through either high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy or α-particle spectroscopy. The objective of the study is the evaluation of trace actinide (241Am) through environments radioactivity measurements of two Lakes in the Lake District using a broad-energy, high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy germanium (BEGe) detector. These appeal to the need to determine the radioactive concentration (Bq/g) in the soil samples with the intent being to discern natural and anthropogenic contributions, and trends in abundances associated with influences of the landscape over time, at trace levels in the environment. These measurements highlight potential benefits for the assessment of 241Am and 241Pu, especially comparisons that might be made with accelerator mass spectrometry assessments (AMS). This study intents to offer an inclusive investigation practise for determining the levels of radioactivity in soil cores, as well as the method for statistical analysis approach to calculate the activity of a soil sample, with a special emphasis on categorising the natural and anthropogenic contributors to trace amounts of plutonium in the environment, that is, less than500 fg/g.

3D Printing 18F Radioactive Phantoms for PET Imaging

Purpose: Phantoms are routinely used in molecular imaging to assess scanner performance. However, traditional phantoms with fillable shapes do not replicate human anatomy. 3D printed phantoms have overcome this by creating phantoms which replicate human anatomy which can be filled with radioactive material. The problem with these is that small objects suffer from boundary effects and therefore boundary-free objects are desirable. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of creating resin-based 3D printed phantoms using 18 F-FDG. Methods: Radioactive resin was created using an emulsion of printer resin and 18 F-FDG. A series of test objects were printed including twenty identical cylinders, ten spheres with increasing diameters (2 mm to 20 mm) and a double helix. Radioactive concentration uniformity, printing accuracy and the amount of leaching were assessed. Results: Creating radioactive resin was simple and effective. The radioactivity remained bound to the resin for the duration that it was radioactive. The radioactive concentration was uniform among identical objects; the CoV of the mean, max and total signal were 3.6%, 3.8% and 2.6%, respectively. The printed cylinders and spheres were found to be within 4% of the model dimensions. A double helix was successfully printed as a test for the printer and appeared as expected on the PET scanner. The amount of radioactivity leached into the water was measurable (0.72%) but not visible above background on the imaging. Conclusions: Creating an 18F-FDG radioactive resin emulsion is a simple and effective way to create boundary-free, accurate, complex 3D phantoms that can be imaged using a PET/CT scanner. This technique could be used to print clinically realistic phantoms, however, they are single use, and cannot be made hollow without an exit hole. Also, there is a small amount of leaching of the radioactivity to take into consideration.

EVALUATION OF DOSE IN SLEEP BY MATTRESS CONTAINING MONAZITE

Some companies in Korea have sold beds which contain a processed product containing monazite powder. Consumers may receive external exposure by radiation emitted by progeny radionuclides in uranium and thorium, and internal exposure through the breathing of radon progeny radionuclides produced in the decay chain. Thus, in this study, age specific dose conversion factors (mSv y−1 Bq−1) by external exposure and dose conversion factors by internal exposure (mSv y−1 per Bq m−3) were derived. Besides, a dose assessment program were developed to calculate dose by taking into account real conditions. And the age specific dose was evaluated using the radioactive concentration measured by the NSSC. As a results, external exposure was assessed to get effective doses in the range of 0.00086 to 0.0015 mSv y−1 by external exposure and a committed effective doses in the range of 1.3 to 12.26 mSv y−1 by internal exposure for all age groups.

Radioactivity of waste materials coming from the largest power plants in Poland

The Central Laboratory of Radiological Protection together with 30 other laboratories in Poland is involved in the analysis of radioactivity among indirect products of combustion (ashes and slags) coming from polish power plants and thermal power station. Systematic studies are conducted on the concentrations of natural radioactive isotopes in waste materials obtained from the power industry, and their results are recorded in a database. This database is supervised by the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection. The database already contains 46300 by now and the oldest results come from the eighties. In this article the results of studies on radioactive concentration of natural radioisotopes 40K, 226Ra and 228Th in waste materials coming from the largest power plants in our country are presented. Furthermore an analysis was carried out on the possibility to use the selected waste materials (ashes and slags) in housing construction, road construction and in public facilities buildings, considering the values of activity indexes f1 and f2.