Airborne and waterborne radon concentrations in areas with use of groundwater supplies

Summary A preliminary survey of airborne and waterborne radon concentrations was given for an area where groundwater is used as a source of public water supply. The average of the waterborne radon concentrations was 77 Bq/l for 36 samples and that of airborne radon concentrations was 18 Bq/m³for ten houses. It is concluded that the exposure dose due to radon-in-water is likely to be much smaller than the total dose from natural radiation.     

238U, 234U and 226Ra concentrations in mineral waters and their contribution to the annual committed effective dose in Turkey

Activity concentrations of ²³⁴U, ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra in mineral waters were determined on the basis of nine water bottling facilities using alpha particle spectrometry. The mineral water samples were collected from three geographic regions of Turkey. The radiochemical separation used in the uranium analysis is based on the isolation of uranium radioisotopes from other radionuclides such as Th, Am, Pu and Np using UTEVA resin. Alpha sources were prepared using electrodeposition method. The activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra was determined after deposition on a membrane using BaSO₄ co-precipitation method. The activity concentrations (mBq L^?1) of ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U ranged from <0.56 to 165, from <0.42 to 439 and from <0.42 to 464, respectively. The measured activity concentrations were used for the calculation of the average total annual effective ingestion doses for children and adults. The committed effective doses were calculated for three different scenarios according to mineral water consumption rate. In the most extreme scenario (for age group 12–17), all water samples except MW1 and MW2 cause annual committed effective doses below the reference level (0.1 mSv year^?1) recommended by World Health Organization (WHO).     

Potassium concentrations and annual effective dose of the customary food stuffs in Mexico

Measurement of radionuclides concentration in foodstuffs allows to assess the intake’s assimilated dose. This contributes at least one-eighth of the mean annual effective dose due to natural sources. Among the trace elements in foodstuff, potassium is one of the most important elements. It is a well-known essential element and it occurs all over the earth. Three of the most customary consumed foodstuffs in Mexico since pre-Hispanic time (by all social classes) are the following: bean, chili and corn meal (“tortillas”). They were analyzed by γ-spectrometry in order to determine ⁴⁰K activity concentration, the derived annual effective dose, and the K mass fraction (%). Results show that the mean activity concentration of ⁴⁰K, annual effective dose and K mass fraction (%) are as follow: 901 ± 90 Bq kg^?1, 37.2 ± 3.7 μSv a^?1 and 2.84 ± 0.27 % for chili; 510 ± 10 Bq kg^?1, 27.5 ± 0.5 μSv a^?1 and 1.60 ± 0.04 % for bean; and, 90 ± 30 Bq kg^?1, 58.1 ± 19.4 μSv a^?1 and 0.27 ± 0.089 % for corn meal, “masa”. The total effective dose intake from these typical foodstuffs is about 0.122 ± 15.6 mSv a^?1in Mexico’s urban zones.     

Estimation of indoor radon and the annual effective dose from building materials by ionization chamber measurement

Indoor radon and its annual effective dose from the building materials commonly used in Thailand were reported. Radon emission from samples collected in the closed chamber was measured by an ionization chamber. Indoor radon and the annual effective dose were calculated from radon concentration in the closed chamber. Granite yields the highest annual effective dose. Three samples of granite shown the annual effective dose higher than the annual exposure limit for the general public of 1 mSv year^?1 recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Applying appropriate surface coating, the radon emission from some building materials has decreased substantially.     

Interrelationship of indoor radon concentrations,soil-gas flux,and meteorological parameters

Summary Main sources of radionuclides in steel in nuclear decommissioning are the unintentional melting of orphan sources and scrap. This paper presents data about the activity of γ-emitters in German steels obtained by low-level γ -ray spectrometry in an underground laboratory. The ⁶⁰Co activity exceeds only 2% of the 215 analyzed samples with a detection limit of 4.4 ^. 10^-5 Bq ^. g^-1. Even the maximum measured ⁶⁰Co activity of 2.5 ^. 10^-4 Bq ^. g^-1 is a factor of 400 lower than the clearance level. The determination of the detector efficiency is also described for these unusual samples using Monte Carlo calculations.     

Fluoride microdetermination and its application to the analysis of rocks,soils, precipitation,and airborne dust

A method for the routine determination of nanogram amounts of fluoride is described. In a one-vessel technique, the fluoride is separated from the matrix by diffusion and then determined kinetically by its inhibiting effect on the zirconium-catalysed reaction between perborate and iodide. The method is applied to the analysis of geochemical materials, rain water, and aerosol filter samples.     

Surfactant-mediated extraction of iron and its spectrophotometric determination in rocks, minerals, soils, stream sediments and water samples

An extraction spectrophotometric method for iron determination in rocks, minerals, soils, stream sediments and water samples has been developed. At pH 3-4, iron (III) forms a 1:2:1 ternary complex with thiocyanate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (Fe/SCN/CTAB) which is extracted into ethyl acetate. The readily formed purple complex is suitable for extraction spectrophotometric determination of iron in rocks and related materials from submicrogram to milligram levels. The method is free from any interference due to commonly associated ions present in the matrices of rock samples. The present method is at least fourfold more sensitive (ε=3.2×10⁴ l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) than the conventional thiocyanate method and, in addition to the enhanced sensitivity and selectivity, it has got definite advantages over the corresponding binary thiocyanate system in terms of substantial improvement in the stability of the complex formed and broadening of Beer's law adherence range (0-6.0 mg/l). The method has been applied to a number of geological and hydrogeochemical samples for the determination of iron and the results obtained have been found to be favourably comparable with those obtained from the standard methods.     

Measurements of radon,thoron and their progeny in Gifu prefecture,Japan

Summary Due to the rocky neighborhood, consisting of mostly granite with high radium content, an elevated radon concentration was found in a territory of Gifu prefecture situated in the middle of Japan. Radon concentrations in water were measured and were found to be considerably high. Since indoor radon and radon progeny concentrations might be relatively high, their concentrations were also analyzed. Besides the radon and radon progeny, thoron and thoron progeny concentrations were also investigated. Dose estimations for radon and thoron in indoor air are discussed.     

The spectrographic determination of trace elements in rocks,minerals and soils

Summary The total content of trace elements in rocks, minerals and soils is determined by a semi-quantitativecathode layer arc spectrographic technique. For more accurate determinationsa variable internal standard technique, in which the trace element contents are compared with that of iron, is employed. This method is combined with a chemical concentration for the analysis of extracts of soils and plant materials. The chemical concentration technique involves the use of 8-hydroxyquinoline, tannic acid and thionalide, and gives recovery of microgram quantities of most trace elements, rejecting at the same time the alkalis, alkaline earths and phosphate.

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Zusammenfassung Der Gesamtgehalt von Spurenelementen in Gesteinen, Mineralien und Bodenproben wird nach einem halbquantitativen Verfahren bestimmt; hiezu werden die Proben in gehöhlten, als Kathoden geschalteten Elektroden im Bogenstrom verbrannt. Für genauere Bestimmungen wird nach einem abgeänderten Verfahren der quantitativen Spektralanalyse die Menge des Spurenelementes der Probe in Bezug auf ihren Eisengehalt ermittelt. Diese Methode ist mit einer chemischen Anreicherung für die Untersuchung von Bodenextrakten und Pflanzenmaterial kombiniert. Die Technik der chemischen Anreicherung beruht auf der Verwendung von 8-Oxichinolin, Gerbsäure und Thionalid; auf diese Weise lassen sich Mikrogramme der meisten Spurenelemente ermitteln, bei gleichzeitiger Abscheidung der Alkalien, Erdalkalien und Phosphate.

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Résumé La teneur globale des traces d'éléments dans les roches, les minéraux et les sols, est déterminée par une technique semi-quantitative, spectrographique d'arc à couche cathodique. Pour les dosages plus précis, on emploie une technique à étalon interne variable dans laquelle les teneurs en traces sont comparées à celles du fer. Cette méthode est combinée avec une concentration chimique pour l'analyse des extraits de sols et de végétaux. La technique de concentration chimique comporte l'emploi d'oxine, d'acide tannique et de thionalide et permet de récupérer des quantités de l'ordre du microgramme de la plupart des éléments en traces, ce qui élimine simultanément les alcalins, les alcalino-terreux et les phosphates.

     

Depth dependent study of radon, thoron and their progeny in tube-wells

Radon has been recognized to be one of the major contributors to the natural radiation causing even lung cancer if it is present at enhanced levels. Its monitoring at highly confined locations such as underground caves, mines and tube-wells is very essential for finding the health related hazards among the workers. This paper reports the investigations of the levels of radon, thoron and their progeny monitored in the tube-wells of the Halls of residence at A.M.U., Aligarh, which lies in the subtropical region of Indo-Gangetic plains situated in North India. The twin cup dosimeters were fixed for exposure at a depth of 5?C35?feet with a difference of 5?feet from the ground surface. The values of radon and thoron concentrations were found to vary from 6.58 to 1218.57 and 7.41?C3226.61?Bq?m^?3, respectively. The preliminary results of this study for ??bare mode?? detectors have been separately published and compared with the recent data.     

Simultaneous determination of florfenicol with its metabolite based on modified quick,easy, cheap,effective, rugged,and safe sample pretreatment and evaluation of their degradation behavior in agricultural soils

A simple and simultaneous method for the determination of florfenicol and its metabolite florfenicol amine in agricultural soils using modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe sample pretreatment and reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry is presented. Florfenicol and its metabolite florfenicol amine residues in agricultural soils were extracted with alkalized acetonitrile and an aliquot was cleaned up with Si(CH₂)₃NH (CH₂)₂NH₂ and C₁₈ sorbent, which were powder materials. High‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was applied to simultaneously determine the level of florfenicol and florfenicol amine in agricultural soils. Excellent linearity was achieved for florfenicol and florfenicol amine over a range of concentrations from 0.1–500 μg/L with coefficients more than 0.99. Average recoveries at four different levels (0.005, 0.05, 0.5, and 5.0 mg/kg) for florfenicol and florfenicol amine ranged from 73.6–94.9% with relative standard deviations of 2.9–12.5%. The limits of detection for florfenicol and florfenicol amine in agricultural soils were 2.0 μg/kg, and the limits of quantification were 6.0 μg/kg. Based on this method, the degradation behavior of florfenicol and its metabolite florfenicol amine in three soils (Nanchang, Hangzhou, and Changchun) under sterilized and native conditions was investigated and the transformation rate of florfenicol amine from florfenicol was evaluated.     

Analysis of the natural radioactivity concentrations of the fine dust samples in Jeju Island,Korea and the annual effective radiation dose by inhalation

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - This study analyzed the concentrations of potassium, thorium and uranium of the atmospheric PM10 aerosols which were collected at Gosan of Jeju...     

Determination of 210Po in tea, maté and their infusions and its annual intake by Syrians

Polonium-210 was determined in 34 kinds of imported tea and 9 kinds of maté collected from the Syrian local market. The ²¹⁰Po concentration was found to vary from 5.5 to 39 Bq^.kg^-1 and 47 to 82 Bq^.kg^-1 in tea and maté samples, respectively. In addition ²¹⁰Po was also determined in tea and maté infusions where different infusion conditions have been examined: amount, temperature and infusion time. The results have shown that the amount of ²¹⁰Po transferred from tea and maté leaves to the aqueous extract ranged from 9 to 21% and 3 to 15%, respectively. The annual intake of ²¹⁰Po by Syrians due to tea consumption and maté infusions was calculated and found to be 9 Bq and 151 Bq for tea and maté, respectively: washing of maté with warm water is recommended before preparation the infusions to decrease the annual intake of ²¹⁰Po. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Investigation of radon and thoron concentrations in a landmark skyscraper in Tokyo

The temporal variation of the radon concentration, and the radon and thoron concentrations every 3 months for a year were measured using two types of devices in a landmark skyscraper, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Daiichi Building. In the measurement of temporal variation of the radon concentration using a pulse type ionization chamber, the average radon concentration was 21 ± 13 Bq m^?3 (2–68 Bq m^?3). The measured indoor radon concentration had a strong relationship with the operation of the mechanical ventilation system and the activities of the office workers. The radon concentration also increased together with temperature. Other environmental parameters, such as air pressure and relative humidity, were not related to the radon concentration. In the long-term measurements using a passive radon and thoron discriminative monitor, no seasonal variation was observed. The annual average concentrations of radon and thoron were 16 ± 8 and 16 ± 7 Bq m^?3, respectively. There was also no relationship between the two concentrations. The annual average effective dose for office workers in this skyscraper was estimated to be 0.08 mSv y^?1 for 2000 working hours per year. When considering the indoor radon exposure received from their residential dwellings using the annual mean radon concentration indoors in Japan (15.5 Bq m^?3), the annual average effective dose was estimated to be 0.37 mSv y^?1. This value was 31 % of the worldwide average annual effective dose.