High Cancer Risk in US Naval Personnel Serving in Nuclear Powered Ships.

The USA Defense Threat Reduction Agency provided data in 2014 on the health status, including cancer, of the 4,843 sailors on the nuclear-powered United States Ship (USS) Ronald Reagan over the 2.55-year period from May 12, 2011 to Dec 31, 2013. Also provided were data on a matched control group of 65,269 US Navy personnel. Examination of the control population relative to the US national data gives a relative risk for all malignancies of RR = 9.2 (95% CI 8.48 < 9.2 < 9.96). The result suggests a significant cancer risk associated with serving on a nuclear-powered ship, one which is not predicted by the science underlying current radiation protection legislation.

An overview on the concentration of radioactive elements and physiochemical analysis of soil and water in Iraq.

In the last decade, radiation physics brought about a revolution in health science by improving scientific equipment and useful methodologies for measurement. Human beings are affected by ionizing radiations that radiate from radioactive elements. The quantity of radioactive elements is different inside and outside the earth's surface. Soil and water are exigencies of human lives which are contaminated by radioactive elements. These radioactive elements enter into the human body through drinking, eating and breathing. On reaching hazardous limits in the human body, these radioactive elements cause stomach cancer, lung cancer and leukemia. Measurement of radioactive elements in soil and water is helpful in monitoring the health issues caused by exposure to these elements. In Iraq, numerous studies about natural radioactivity, radon concentration and physiochemical parameters have been conducted by different researchers, of which most of the studies were conducted in Barsa, Nasirya, Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Balad, Kirkuk, Erbil, Mosul and Dohuk cities. This article aims to review and compile the studies conducted in these cities of Iraq from 2011 to 2019. In most articles, high-purity germanium (HPGe), RAD7 and CR-39 detectors are used for radioactivity and radon measurement. These cities are located in the low-high folded and Mesopotamian zones. From this study, it can be concluded that radon concentration in soil and water was greater in the Mesopotamian and lower in the low-high folded zones. Higher concentrations of natural radioactivity in water and soil were found in the low-high folded zone in Iraq. However, most of the conducted studies show that concentrations of radon and natural radioactivity are above the permissible limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and World Health Organization (WHO). The values of physiochemical parameters were found to be greater in the Mesopotamian zone, but overall they are not above the permissible limits.

A study of the radiological baseline conditions around the planned Sinop (Turkey) nuclear power plant using the mapping method.

This study makes a first attempt at a detailed estimation of the background radioactivity level and its distribution at the Sinop nuclear power plant site. The activity concentration levels of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs radionuclides in soil samples collected from 88 locations around Sinop Province, Turkey, in November 2016, were measured using gamma spectrometry. The distributions of radionuclide levels obtained from the results were evaluated using a geostatistical method, and the estimated radiation levels were determined using the ordinary kriging (OK) method, which is the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) for unmeasured points. Estimates of distribution results were evaluated using cross-validation diagrams, and it was shown that the OK method could predict radiological distributions for appropriate criteria. Finally, using the kriging parameters, distributions of radiation levels for the entire work area were mapped at a spatial resolution of 100 × 100 m2. These maps show that the natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) are distributed at higher levels to the southeast of Sinop than in the other regions, and the activity of an artificial radionuclide (137Cs) is high in the interior and northern sections.

Estimation of annual effective dose due to ingestion of radioactive elements in Sri Lankan common meal plans.

Dietary ingestion of radionuclides by human may lead to many hazardous effects such as cancers. No studies have been conducted to estimate the levels of radioactivity dosage received from Sri Lankan homemade foods. In order to find out the levels of radionuclides in Sri Lankan cooked foods, meal plans (n = 11) that are most commonly consumed were analyzed for the activity concentrations of the radioisotopes 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, 137Cs, and 40K by means of gamma spectroscopy. 40K had the highest activity concentration present in the meal plans with a range of 80.56 ± 17.53 to 143.41 ± 24.6 Bq kg-1, and the radionuclides 226Ra, 210Pb, 137Cs, and 232Th were not detected in any of the analyzed meal plans. The annual intake of food was determined on the basis of their average annual consumption. The effective dose to an average adult who consumes the meal plans ranged from 0.030 to 0.051 mSv year-1. However, the effective dose and activity concentrations of radionuclides were lower than the guideline limit specified by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation-1 and other countries. Hence, the consumption of cooked meal plans in Sri Lanka is safe in terms of radioactivity for the five radionuclides investigated in this study.

The behavior of radiogenic particles at solidification fronts.

The thermal behavior of insoluble radiogenic particles at the solid-liquid interface of an advancing solidification front and its significance with regard to environmental impact are discussed. It is shown that, unlike classical particles, where the most probable behavior is engulfing by the solidification front, radiogenic particles are more likely to be rejected by the solidification front. Utilizing a simplified physical model, an adaptation of classical theoretical models is performed, where it is shown that, unlike classical particles, for radiogenic particles the mechanism is thermally driven. An analytical expression for the critical velocity of the solidification front for engulfing/rejection to occur is derived. The study could be potentially important to several fields, e.g. in engineering applications where technological processes for the physical removal of radionuclide particles dispersed throughout another substance by inducing solidification could be envisaged, in planetary science where the occurrence of radiogenic concentration could result in the possibility of the eruption of primordial comet/planetoids, or, if specific conditions are suitable, particle ejection may result in an increase in concentration as the front moves, which can translate into the formation of hot spots.

Distribution and possible dietary intake of radioactive 137Cs, 40K and 226Ra with the pantropical mushroom Macrocybe gigantea in SW China.

There is scarcity of data on contamination with radiocesium 134/137Cs of edible mushrooms from the Southwestern Asia. This study aimed to get insight into activity concentration of artificial nuclides 134/137Cs and natural 40K and 226Ra in mushrooms from Yunnan province, which is major producer in China. The specimens of pantropical mushroom Macrocybe gigantea were collected from the wild and from a farm across Yunnan land in 2012-2013 and analyzed using gamma spectrometry with hyperpure germanium coaxial detector (HPGe). M. gigantea showed low activity concentrations of 137Cs (median value for dehydrated caps was 4.5 Bq kg(-1) and 5.4 Bq kg(-1) for stipes) while 134Cs was not detected. Natural radionuclide 40K showed 2-3 orders of magnitude greater activity concentration compared to artificial 137Cs in M. gigantea. The activity concentrations of 226Ra from uranium and radium decay series for most of the consignments of M. gigantea examined were below the method's limit of detection. The nominal effective dose equivalent for the Yunnan people from the dietary intake of 137Cs was assessed to be below 0.01 µSv per annum on the average, and that from 40K to be below 0.1 µSv per annum. Data available for the first time on activity concentrations of 137Cs in wild-grown saprobic mushroom from this region of Asia suggest low pollution with radiocesium from fallout there. Hence, the likely health risks from intake of 137Cs from cooked M. gigantea are in practice of mushrooms absent for human consumers there. Because of abundance of mushrooms in Yunnan and high significance of the region as producer and exporter a wider study using many species is necessary to fill a gap on possible radioactive contamination and risk to mushroom consumers.

Understanding the Radioactive Ingrowth and Decay of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in the Environment: An Analysis of Produced Fluids from the Marcellus Shale.

BACKGROUND: The economic value of unconventional natural gas resources has stimulated rapid globalization of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, natural radioactivity found in the large volumes of "produced fluids" generated by these technologies is emerging as an international environmental health concern. Current assessments of the radioactivity concentration in liquid wastes focus on a single element-radium. However, the use of radium alone to predict radioactivity concentrations can greatly underestimate total levels. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the contribution to radioactivity concentrations from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, thorium, actinium, radium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes, to the total radioactivity of hydraulic fracturing wastes. METHODS: For this study we used established methods and developed new methods designed to quantitate NORM of public health concern that may be enriched in complex brines from hydraulic fracturing wastes. Specifically, we examined the use of high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry and isotope dilution alpha spectrometry to quantitate NORM. RESULTS: We observed that radium decay products were initially absent from produced fluids due to differences in solubility. However, in systems closed to the release of gaseous radon, our model predicted that decay products will begin to ingrow immediately and (under these closed-system conditions) can contribute to an increase in the total radioactivity for more than 100 years. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate predictions of radioactivity concentrations are critical for estimating doses to potentially exposed individuals and the surrounding environment. These predictions must include an understanding of the geochemistry, decay properties, and ingrowth kinetics of radium and its decay product radionuclides.

Naturally occurring heavy radioactive elements in the geothermal microcosm of the Los Azufres (Mexico) volcanic complex.

The Los Azufres geothermal complex of central Mexico is characterized by fumaroles and boiling hot-springs. The fumaroles form habitats for extremophilic mosses and ferns. Physico-chemical measurements of two relatively pristine fumarolic microcosms point to their resemblance with the paleo-environment of earth during the Ordovician and Devonian periods. These geothermal habitats were analysed for the distribution of elemental mass fractions in the rhizospheric soil (RS), the native volcanic substrate (VS) and the sediments (S), using the new high-sensitivity technique of polarized x-ray energy dispersive fluorescence spectrometry (PEDXRF) as well as instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for selected elements. This work presents the results for the naturally occurring heavy radioactive elements (NOHRE) Bi, Th and U but principally the latter two. For the RS, the density was found to be the least and the total organic matter content the most. Bi was found to be negligibly present in all substrate types. The average Th and U mass fractions in the RS were higher than in the VS and about equal to their average mass fractions in the S. The VS mass fraction of Th was higher, and of U lower, than the mass fractions in the earth's crust. In fact for the fumaroles of one site, the average RS mass fractions of these elements were higher than the averaged values for S (without considering the statistical dispersion). The immobilization of the NOHRE in the RS is brought about by the bio-geochemical processes specific to these extremophiles. Its effectiveness is such that despite the small masses of these plants, it compares with, or may sometimes exceed, the immobilization of the NOHRE in the S by the abiotic and aggressive chemical action of the hot-springs. These results indicate that the fumarolic plants are able to transform the volcanic substrate to soil and to affect the NOHRE mass fractions even though these elements are not plant nutrients. Mirrored back to the paleo times when such plant types were ubiquitous, it would mean that the first plants contributed significantly to pedogenesis and the biogeochemical recycling of even the heaviest and radioactive elements. Such plants may potentially be useful for the phytostabilisation of soil moderately contaminated by the NOHRE. Furthermore where applicable, geochronology may require taking into account the influence of the early plants on the NOHRE distributions.

Analysis of environmental contamination resulting from catastrophic incidents: part 1. Building and sustaining capacity in laboratory networks.

Catastrophic incidents, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and industrial accidents, can occur suddenly and have high impact. However, they often occur at such a low frequency and in unpredictable locations that planning for the management of the consequences of a catastrophe can be difficult. For those catastrophes that result in the release of contaminants, the ability to analyze environmental samples is critical and contributes to the resilience of affected communities. Analyses of environmental samples are needed to make appropriate decisions about the course of action to restore the area affected by the contamination. Environmental samples range from soil, water, and air to vegetation, building materials, and debris. In addition, processes used to decontaminate any of these matrices may also generate wastewater and other materials that require analyses to determine the best course for proper disposal. This paper summarizes activities and programs the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has implemented to ensure capability and capacity for the analysis of contaminated environmental samples following catastrophic incidents. USEPA's focus has been on building capability for a wide variety of contaminant classes and on ensuring national laboratory capacity for potential surges in the numbers of samples that could quickly exhaust the resources of local communities. USEPA's efforts have been designed to ensure a strong and resilient laboratory infrastructure in the United States to support communities as they respond to contamination incidents of any magnitude. The efforts include not only addressing technical issues related to the best-available methods for chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants, but also include addressing the challenges of coordination and administration of an efficient and effective response. Laboratory networks designed for responding to large scale contamination incidents can be sustained by applying their resources during incidents of lesser significance, for special projects, and for routine surveillance and monitoring as part of ongoing activities of the environmental laboratory community.

Modelling the behaviour of uranium-series radionuclides in soils and plants taking into account seasonal variations in soil hydrology.

In a previous paper, a mathematical model for the behaviour of (79)Se in soils and plants was described. Subsequently, a review has been published relating to the behaviour of (238)U-series radionuclides in soils and plants. Here, we bring together those two strands of work to describe a new mathematical model of the behaviour of (238)U-series radionuclides entering soils in solution and their uptake by plants. Initial studies with the model that are reported here demonstrate that it is a powerful tool for exploring the behaviour of this decay chain or subcomponents of it in soil-plant systems under different hydrological regimes. In particular, it permits studies of the degree to which secular equilibrium assumptions are appropriate when modelling this decay chain. Further studies will be undertaken and reported separately examining sensitivities of model results to input parameter values and also applying the model to sites contaminated with (238)U-series radionuclides.

Radionuclide concentrations in raw and purified phosphoric acids from Brazil and their processing wastes: implications for radiation exposures.

Radionuclides from the U and Th natural series are present in alkaline rocks, which are used as feedstock in Brazil for the production of raw phosphoric acid, which can be considered as a NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material). As a result of the purification of raw phosphoric acid to food-grade phosphoric acid, two by-products are generated, i.e., solid and liquid wastes. Taking this into account, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the fluxes of natural radionuclide in the production of food-grade phosphoric acids in Brazil, to determine the radiological impact caused by ingestion of food-grade phosphoric acid, and to evaluate the solid waste environmental hazards caused by its application in crop soils. Radiological characterization of raw phosphoric acid, food-grade phosphoric acid, solid waste, and liquid waste was performed by alpha and gamma spectrometry. The (238)U, (234)U, (226)Ra, and (232)Th activity concentrations varied depending on the source of raw phosphoric acid. Decreasing radionuclides activity concentrations in raw phosphoric acids used by the producer of the purified phosphoric acid were observed as follows: Tapira (raw phosphoric acid D) > Catalão (raw phosphoric acids B and C) > Cajati (raw phosphoric acid A). The industrial purification process produces a reduction in radionuclide activity concentrations in food-grade phosphoric acid in relation to raw phosphoric acid produced in plant D and single raw phosphoric acid used in recent years. The most common use of food-grade phosphoric acid is in cola soft drinks, with an average consumption in Brazil of 72 l per person per year. Each liter of cola soft drink contains 0.5 ml of food-grade phosphoric acid, which gives an annual average intake of 36 ml of food-grade phosphoric acid per person. Under these conditions, radionuclide intake through consumption of food-grade phosphoric acid per year per person via cola soft drinks is not hazardous to human health in Brazil. Considering these annual additions of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, and since these radionuclide should be homogeneously distributed in the upper 10 cm of soils with an assumed apparent density of 1.5 g/cm(3), a maximum increase of 0.19 ± 0.03 Bq kg(-1) of soil is expected for (238)U and (234)U. Thus, the addition of solid waste as phosphate fertilizers to Brazilian agricultural soils does not represent a hazard to the ecosystem or to human health.

Determination of radioactive elements and heavy metals in sediments and soil from domestic water sources in northern peninsular Malaysia.

Soil serves as a major reservoir for contaminants as it posseses an ability to bind various chemicals together. To safeguard the members of the public from an unwanted exposure, studies were conducted on the sediments and soil from water bodies that form the major sources of domestic water supply in northern peninsular Malaysia for their trace element concentration levels. Neutron Activation Analysis, using Nigeria Research Reactor-1 (NIRR-1) located at the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Zaria, Nigeria was employed as the analytical tool. The elements identified in major quantities include Na, K, and Fe while As, Br, Cr, U, Th, Eu, Cs, Co, La, Sm, Yb, Sc, Zn, Rb, Ba, Lu, Hf, Ta, and Sb were also identified in trace quantities. Gamma spectroscopy was also employed to analyze some soil samples from the same area. The results indicated safe levels in terms of the radium equivalent activity, external hazard index as well as the mean external exposure dose rates from the soil. The overall screening of the domestic water sources with relatively high heavy metals concentration values in sediments and high activity concentration values in soil is strongly recommended as their accumulation overtime as a consequence of leaching into the water may be of health concern to the members of the public.

Radiological impacts of phosphogypsum.

This study was carried out to assess the radiological impact of Syrian phosphogypsum (PG) piles in the compartments of the surrounding ecosystem. Estimating the distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides (i.e. (226)Ra, (238)U, (232)Th, (210)Po and (210)Pb) in the raw materials, product and by-product of the Syrian phosphate fertilizer industry was essential. The data revealed that the concentrations of the radionuclides were enhanced in the treated phosphate ore. In PG, (226)Ra content had a mean activity of 318 Bq kg(-1). The uranium content in PG was low, ca. 33 Bq kg(-1), because uranium remained in the phosphoric acid produced. Over 80% of (232)Th, (210)Po and (210)Pb present partitioned in PG. The presence of PG piles did not increase significantly the concentration of (222)Rn or gamma rays exposure dose in the area studied. The annual effective dose was only 0.082 mSv y(-1). The geometric mean of total suspended air particulates (TSP) ca. 85 µg m(-3). The activity concentration of the radionuclides in filtrates and runoff waters were below the detection limits (ca. 0.15 mBq L(-1) for (238)U, 0.1 mBq L(-1) for (232)Th and 0.18 mBq L(-1) for both of (210)Po and (210)Pb); the concentration of the radionuclides in ground water samples and Qattina Lake were less than the permissible limits set for drinking water by the World Health Organisation, WHO, (10, 1 and 0.1 Bq L(-1) for (238)U, (232)Th and both of (210)Po and (210)Pb, respectively). Eastern sites soil samples of PG piles recorded the highest activity concentrations, i.e. 26, 33, 28, 61 and 40 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (238)U, (232)Th, (210)Po and (210)Pb, respectively, due to the prevailing western and north-western wind in the area, but remained within the natural levels reported in Syrian soil (13-32 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, 24.9-62.2 Bq kg(-1) for (238)U and 10-32 Bq kg(-1) for (232)Th). The impact of PG piles on plants varied upon the plant species. Higher concentrations of the radionuclides were recorded for grass in comparison to broad-leaved plants. Among the species that grow naturally on PG piles, Inula, Ecballium and Polygonium may be radionuclides accumulators. A determined effort is needed at a national level to achieve a common and coherent approach to regulate PG piles or to consider it a resource material rather than waste or residue.

Assessment of atmospheric pollution in the vicinity of a tin and lead industry using lichen species Canoparmelia texana.

This paper examines the viability of using Canoparmelia texana lichen species as a bioindicator of air pollution by radionuclides and rare earth elements (REEs) in the vicinity of a tin and lead industry. The lichen and soil samples were analyzed for uranium, thorium and REEs by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The radionuclides (226)Ra, (228)Ra and (210)Pb were determined either by Gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS) (soils) or by radiochemical separation followed by gross alpha and beta counting using a gas flow proportional counter (lichens). The lichens samples concentrate radionuclides (on the average 25-fold higher than the background for this species) and REEs (on the average 10-fold higher), therefore they can be used as a fingerprint of contamination by the operation of the tin industry.

Radiation hazard assessment in Egyptian painting oxides. A comparative study.

Building materials are potential sources of radiation, which represents a risk factor for human disease including cancer. In this work, the natural radioactivity due to the presence of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in different painting oxides has been measured using gamma spectrometry with a Hyper Pure germanium detector. The concentrations of the heavy metals (Cd, Co, Mn, Pb, Ni, Sr, Rb, Cr, Cu and Zn) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in order to investigate their possible correlation with radioactive elements. The activity concentrations of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K ranged from 15 ± 0.75 to 126 ± 14, 2.35 ± 0.09 to 72.96 ± 1.96, 1.76 ± 0.31 to 12.88 ± 0.7 and 2.26 ± 0.09 to 200 ± 3.34 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The calculated radium-equivalents were lower than values recommended for construction materials (370 Bq kg(-1)). The absorbed dose rates due to the natural radioactivity of the investigated samples ranged from 8.11 ± 0.24 to 68.46 ± 4.20 nGy/h. Also, the results revealed that some heavy metals (Cd, Co, Mn and Rb) were correlated with (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th or (40)K.

Occurrence of natural radioactivity in public water supplies in Germany: (238)U, (234)U, (235)U, (228)RA, (226)RA, (222)RN, (210)PB, (210)PO and gross alpha activity concentrations.

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection performed a representative survey on the radiological quality of drinking water in Germany. The aim of this study was to determine regional variations of natural radionuclide concentrations and to estimate radiation exposures caused by drinking water consumption. The study includes analyses of the natural radionuclides (238)U, (234)U, (235)U, (228)Ra, (226)Ra, (222)Rn, (210)Pb, (210)Po and of gross alpha activity concentrations in drinking water from 564 public water supplies. This represents 3 % of all German water supplies providing about 37 Mio. inhabitants. Results on ranges, medians and distributions of radionuclide concentrations of drinking water as well as age-dependent ingestion and inhalation doses estimated for members of the public are presented. Generally, the dose due to uranium isotopes is negligibly low. Radiation exposures are predominantly caused by (222)Rn, (228)Ra, (210)Po and (210)Pb. The ingestion dose deduced for adults (>17 a) and infants (0-1 a) is dominated by (222)Rn and (228)Ra, respectively. A gross alpha activity analysis procedure using liquid scintillation counting has been tested. Measured gross alpha activities values were found to be well related to the summarised activities of (238)U, (234)U, (226)Ra and (210)Po.

Concentrations of 238U, 234U, 235U, 232Th, 230Th, 228Th, 226Ra, 228Ra, 224Ra, 210Po, 210Pb and 212Pb in drinking water in Italy: reconciling safety standards based on measurements of gross alpha and beta.

Some important naturally occurring alpha- and beta-radionuclides in drinking water samples collected in Italy were determined and the radiological quality evaluated. The mean activity concentrations (mBqL(-1)) of the radionuclides in the water samples were almost in the order: 26+/-36 ((234)U)>21+/-30 ((238)U)>8.9+/-15 ((226)Ra)>4.8+/-6.3 ((228)Ra)>4.0+/-4.1 ((210)Pb)>3.2+/-3.7 ((210)Po)>2.7+/-1.2 ((212)Pb)>1.4+/-1.8 ((224)Ra)> 1.1+/-1.3 ((235)U)>0.26+/-0.39 ((228)Th)>0.0023+/-0.0009 ((230)Th)>0.0013+/-0.0006 ((232)Th). The mean estimated dose (microSvyr(-1)) to an adult from the water intake was in this order: 2.8+/-3.3 ((210)Po)>2.4+/-3.2 ((228)Ra)>2.1+/-2.1 ((210)Pb)>1.8+/-3.1 ((226)Ra)>0.94+/-1.30 ((234)U)>0.70+/-0.98 ((238)U)>0.069+/-0.087 ((224)Ra)>0.036+/-0.044 ((235)U)>0.014+/-0.021 ((228)Th)>0.012+/-0.005 ((212)Pb)>0.00035+/-0.00029 ((230)Th)>0.00022+/-0.00009 ((232)Th). It is obvious that (210)Po, (228)Ra, (210)Pb and (226)Ra are the most important dose contributors in the drinking water intake. As far as the seventeen brands of analysed drinking water were concerned, the committed effective doses were in the range of 2.81-38.5 microSvyr(-1), all well below the reference level of the committed effective dose (100 microSvyr(-1)) recommended by the WHO. These data throw some light on the scale of the radiological impact on the public from some naturally occurring radionuclides in drinking water, and can also serve as a comparison for the dose contribution from artificial radionuclides released to the environment as a result of human practices. Based on the radionuclide composition in the analysed waters, comment was made on the new screening level for gross alpha activity in guidelines for drinking-water quality recommended by the WHO, 2004.

Radioactivity contents in dicalcium phosphate and the potential radiological risk to human populations.

Potentially harmful phosphate-based products derived from the wet acid digestion of phosphate rock represent one of the most serious problems facing the phosphate industry. This is particularly true for dicalcium phosphate (DCP), a food additive produced from either sulphuric acid or hydrochloric acid digestion of raw rock material. This study determined the natural occurring radionuclide concentrations of 12 DCP samples and 4 tricalcium phosphate (TCP) samples used for animal and human consumption, respectively. Metal concentrations (Al, Fe, Zn, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Pb and Mg) were also determined. Samples were grouped into three different clusters (A, B, C) based on their radionuclide content. Whereas group A is characterized by high activities of 238U, 234U (approximately 10(3) Bq kg(-1)), 210Pb (2 x 10(3) Bq kg(-1)) and (210)Po ( approximately 800 Bq kg(-1)); group B presents high activities of (238)U, (234)U and (230)Th (approximately 10(3) Bq kg(-1)). Group C was characterized by very low activities of all radionuclides (< 50 Bq kg(-1)). Differences between the two groups of DCP samples for animal consumption (groups A and B) were related to the wet acid digestion method used, with group A samples produced from hydrochloric acid digestion, and group B samples produced using sulphuric acid. Group C includes more purified samples required for human consumption. High radionuclide concentrations in some DCP samples (reaching 2 x 10(3) and 10(3) Bq kg(-1) of 210Pb and 210Po, respectively) may be of concern due to direct or indirect radiological exposure via ingestion. Our experimental results based on 210Pb and 210Po within poultry consumed by humans, suggest that the maximum radiological doses are 11 +/- 2 microSv y(-1). While these results suggest that human health risks are small, additional testing should be conducted.

238U, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs activity concentrations along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, Iran.

The determination of activity concentrations of the radioactive elements (238)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs was performed on grab samples taken from a polluted environment. The samples were sliced into strata from 5 cm depth, dried and ground to sieved through a 170 mesh size prior to the analysis. Activity concentration was quantified using gamma spectroscopy. The results showed that the concentrations of activity in the sediment samples are 177+/-12.4, 117+/-11.5, 1085+/-101.6 and 131+/-4.8 Bq kg(-1) for (238)U, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs, respectively. In general, the distribution of activity concentrations along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea area exceeded international limits. The hazard index of the samples was 0.19-0.88, with an average of 0.49. The mean values of radium equivalent activity and dose rate are 176 Bq kg(-1) and 63 nGy h(-1), respectively.