Ambient PM gross β-activity and glucose levels during pregnancy

Background Exposure to ionizing radiation has been associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In light of recent work showing an association between ambient particulate matter (PM) gross β-activity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women, we examined pregnancy glucose levels in relation to PM gross β-activity to better understand this pathway. Methods Our study included 103 participants receiving prenatal care at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. PM gross β-activity was obtained from US Environmental Protection Agency’s RadNet program monitors, and blood glucose levels were obtained from the non-fasting glucose challenge test performed clinically as the first step of the 2-step GDM screening test. For each exposure window we examined (i.e., moving average same-day, one-week, first-trimester, and second-trimester PM gross β-activity), we fitted generalized additive models and adjusted for clinical characteristics, socio-demographic factors, temporal variables, and PM with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). Subgroup analyses by maternal age and by body mass index were also conducted. Results An interquartile range increase in average PM gross β-activity during the second trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increase of 17.5 (95% CI: 0.8, 34.3) mg/dL in glucose concentration. Associations were stronger among younger and overweight/obese participants. Our findings also suggest that the highest compared to the lowest quartile of one-week exposure was associated with 17.0 (95% CI: − 4.0, 38.0) mg/dL higher glucose levels. No associations of glucose were observed with PM gross β-activity during same-day and first-trimester exposure windows. PM2.5 was not associated with glucose levels during any exposure window in our data. Conclusions Exposure to higher levels of ambient PM gross β-activity was associated with higher blood glucose levels in pregnant patients, with implications for how this novel environmental factor could impact pregnancy health.

The natural radioactivity in drinking water by gross alpha and beta measurements and radiological quality assessment

The aim of this study is to investigate the radiological quality of drinking waters consumed in Nevşehir province which is the most important tourism destination of the Cappadocia region. The activity concentration of gross α- and β-emitting from natural radionuclides (238U, 234U, 230Th, 226Ra, 210Po, 232Th and 210Pb, 228Ra and 40K) in 21 tap water samples supplied by municipal pipelines were analyzed by using a gas proportional α/β counter. The average activity concentrations of the gross α and gross β in tap water samples were found as 88 ± 10 mBq L−1 and 305 ± 32 mBq L−1, respectively. The average natural activity concentrations of α- and β-emitting radionuclides in tap water samples are below the limit values recommended by the Turkish regulation and WHO. For all samples, except for one sample, the gross β activity concentrations are higher than the corresponding gross α concentrations. The average annual effective radiation dose (AERD) due to the ingestion of these water samples was estimated to be 43, 60 and 124 μSv year−1 for infants, children, and adults, respectively. The average of AERD estimated for adults is 24 % higher than the dose limit of 100 μSv year−1. The activity concentration results reveal that tap water samples are acceptable for human consumption in accordance with the Turkish regulation and WHO recommendations for drinking water.

Assessment of natural radioactivity and consequent radiological hazard in different brands of commercialized bottled mineral water produced in China

As one of the drinking water quality parameters, natural radioactivity parameters are recommended to prevent a potential health threat to the public. In this study, the gross-α and gross-β activity concentrations in 15 different brands of commercial bottled mineral water consumed in China were analyzed to evaluate the quality and corresponding health impact on the population. The activity concentrations of gross-α and gross-β in different samples varied from 4.4 to 130.6 and 17.3–320.3 mBq L–1, respectively. The values of the annual effective dose equivalent rate (AED) for infants, children and adults ranged from 1.3 to 21.6, 2.9–52.5 and 5.5–97.8 μSv y–1, respectively. The average excess lifetime cancer risk caused by the consumption of bottled mineral water samples was estimated as 6.0 × 10–5. These results show that all the measured gross-α and gross-β are found to be obviously less than the guidance level by WHO and the domestic standard. The values of AED are below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended limit of 0.1 mSv y–1. Combined with the lifetime cancer risk assessment, it is concluded that there is no significant risk for consumption of the observed brands of bottled mineral water and it can be consumed safely.

An investigation of gross α & gross β radioactivity level of Xiaoqing River from 2008 to 2015

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Purpose of current study was to investigate the gross α &amp; gross β radioactivity level of Xiaoqing River in Jinan from 2008 to 2015.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> According to National Standards of P.R., China.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> The gross α radioactivity concentration ranges from 0.02 to 0.17) Bq/L with an average concentration value of 0.05Bq/L; the gross β radioactivity concentration ranges from 0.09 to 0.23) Bq/L with an average concentration value of 0.15Bq/L.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The gross α &amp; gross β radioactivity level of Xiaoqing River were in the normal background range during the years from 2008 to 2015.</p>

SEBARAN RADIOAKTIVITAS RADIONUKLIDA ALAM DAN FAKTOR AKUMULASINYA DALAM AIR, SEDIMEN DAN TANAMAN DI PERAIRAN SUNGAI DAN LAUT SURABAYA

SEBARAN RADIOAKTIVITAS RADIONUKLIDA ALAM DAN FAKTOR AKUMULASINYA DALAM AIR, SEDIMEN DAN TANAMAN DI PERAIRAN SUNGAI DAN LAUT SURABAYA. Telah dilakukan analisis radioaktivitas beberapa sampel di beberapa lokasi perairan Surabaya. Sampel untuk penelitian berupa air laut dan air sungai, sedimen permukaan dasar perairan dan eceng gondok. Lokasi pengambilan cuplikan di sungai dan laut pesisir Surabaya yang ditetapkan secara terpilih (bertujuan khusus) di lima (5) titik. Air diuapkan, sedimen dibersihkan, dikeringkan dan dihaluskan; eceng gondok diabukan pada 500 oC kemudian ditentukan paparan radioaktivitas α, β dan γ-nya. Dari hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa aktivitas cacah cuplikan lingkungan alam sangat rendah. Aktivitas gross β cuplikan air masih di bawah nilai ambang menurut Men KLH No. Kep.02/MENKLH/I/1988 sebesar 1000 mBq/L dan aktivitas α cuplikan air lebih tinggi dari batas ambang (100 mBq/L) dari SK Men KLH tersebut. Aktivitas paparan radiasi dalam cuplikan eceng gondok ternyata lebih tinggi daripada aktivitas cuplikan air dan sedimen yang menunjukkan adanya perpindahan radionuklida menurut jalur air-sedimen-biota dan terjadinya akumulasi radionuklida dalam organisme perairan. Hasil identifikasi radioisotop dengan teknik spektrometri-γ menunjukkan adanya 2 jenis radioisotop yang terdeteksi K-40 dan Tl-208 dalam beberapa cuplikan dan beberapa lokasi. Keberadaan radioisotop alam ini menunjukkan bahwa sampai saat pencuplikan dilakukan, perairan sungai dan pesisir Surabaya belum terkontaminasi oleh radionuklida buatan hasil fisi. Faktor distribusi FD pada umumnya < Faktor bioakumulasi FB.

STUDI PARAMETER AIR DAN RADIOAKTIVITAS ALAM PERAIRAN SUNGAI SEROPAN GUNUNGKIDUL

STUDI PARAMETER AIR DAN RADIOAKTIVITAS ALAM SAMPEL AIR, SEDIMEN SUNGAI SEROPANGUNUNGKIDUL. Kualitas air Sungai Seropan sebagai bahan baku air bersih (rumah tangga) harusdipantau kualitasnya melalui parameter fisik, kimia, biologi dan radioaktivitas. Telah dilakukan studikualitas air tersebut dengan parameter penelitian suhu, suspended solid (SS), radioaktivitas gross β danγ, kesadahan, COD, BOD, escherichia coli. Sampel air dan sedimen sungai diambil pada bulan Februari(penghujan) dan Agustus (kemarau) 2006. Didapat hasil pengukuran parameter kualitas air sungaiSeropan berturut-turut adalah suhu rata-rata 28˚C; SS maksimum 48 mg/L, pH maksimum 6,8;kesadahan maksimum 257,49 mg/L; COD maksimum 8 mg/L, BOD maksimum 4,9 mg/L, bakteri E. collimax > 2400 mpn/100 mL, gross b air maksimum 0,9071 Bq/L. Semua parameter tersebut masih dibawah kadar maksimum dari Keputusan Gubernur Kepala Daerah Istimewa YogyakartaNo/214/KPTS/1991 dan Keputusan Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia Nomor907/Menkes/SK/VII/2002. Sampel sedimen tidak dapat dibandingkan karena belum tercantum dalambaku mutunya. Hasil identifikasi radionuklida alam pemancar gamma pada sampel air sungai adalah Tl-208 dan K-40 sedangkan pada sampel sedimen terdeteksi lebih banyak yaitu Tl-208, Ac-228, Ra-226,Pb-212, Pb-214, Bi-214, Ac-228, Ac-228 dan K-40.