O ser humano está constantemente exposto a diversas fontes de radiação. Dentre elas, destacam-se as fontes naturais, que atingem a população mundial a uma taxa relativamente constante durante um longo período de tempo. Estima-se que a dose anual média recebida pela população devido às fontes naturais seja de 2,4 mSv a-1. Alguns balneários e spas encontrados pelo mundo são de grande importância quando se consideram os aspectos de proteção radiológica, pois concentram concentrações significativas de radionuclídeos, como por exemplo, o gás 222Rn. Embasado nisto, foi realizada a dosimetria de Rn222 no ar para trabalhadores e indivíduos do público em dois balneários brasileiros, o balneário municipal de Águas de Lindóia no estado de São Paulo e o balneário Thermas Antônio Carlos, na cidade de Poços de Caldas, estado de Minas Gerais. Utilizou-se o método de detecção passiva, com o uso de detectores sólidos de traços do tipo CR-39® (Columbia Resin) inseridos em câmaras de difusão do tipo NRBP® (National Radiological Protection Board). As concentrações de Rn222 no ar variaram de 27 ± 4 Bq m-3 a 16451 ± 298 Bq m-3 para o balneário municipal de Águas de Lindóia e de 35 ± 3 Bq m-3 a 156 ± 4 Bq m-3 para o balneário Thermas Antônio Carlos. Foram considerados três cenários de exposição para a avaliação de dose nos dois balneários. O primeiro cenário corresponde à exposição dos trabalhadores que aplicam os banhos termais nos usuários, o segundo cenário corresponde à exposição dos trabalhadores que realizam manutenções nas fontes termais e o terceiro cenário abrange os frequentadores assíduos dos banhos termais. Os valores de dose efetiva encontrados no balneário municipal de Águas de Lindóia e no balneário Thermas Antônio Carlos, respectivamente, considerando o 1° cenário variam de 0,10 a 0,34 mSv a-1 e 0,17 a 0,33 mSv a-1. Os valores encontrados, considerando o 2° cenário variam de 0,24 a 9,9 mSv a-1 para o balneário municipal de Águas de Lindóia e de 0,03 a 0,09 mSv a-1 para o balneário Thermas Antônio Carlos. Considerando o 3° cenário, os valores de dose encontrados variam de 0,01 a 0,02 mSv a-1 para ambos balneários. / Human beings are constantly exposed to different sources of radiation. Among them, the natural sources, which reach the world\'s population at a relatively constant rate for a long period of time, are highlighted. It is estimated that the average annual dose received by the population due to natural sources is 2.4 mSv y-1. Some bathhouses and spas found around the world are of great importance when considering the aspects of radiological protection, because they concentrate significant concentrations of radionuclides, for instance, the 222Rn gas. Based on this, the dosimetry of 222Rn in the air was performed for workers and individuals of the public in two brazilian bathhouses; Águas de Lindóia municipal bathhouse in the state of São Paulo and Thermas Antônio Carlos bathhouse in the city of Poços de Caldas, state of Minas Gerais. The passive detection method was used, with the use of solid detectors of type CR-39® (Columbia Resin) inserted in diffusion chambers of the type NRBP® (National Radiological Protection Board). The concentrations of 222Rn in the air ranged from 27 ± 4 Bq m-3 to 16451 ± 298 Bq m-3 for the Águas de Lindóia Municipal bathhouse and 35 ± 3 Bq m-3 to 156 ± 4 Bq m-3 for the Thermas Antônio Carlos bathhouse. Three exposure scenarios were considered for the dose assessment in both bathhouses. The first scenario corresponds to the exposure of workers who apply thermal baths to users, the second scenario corresponds to the exposure of workers who perform maintenance in the hot springs and the third scenario covers the assiduous regulars of the thermal baths. The effective dose values found in the Águas de Lindóia Municipal bathhouse and in the Thermas Antônio Carlos bathhouse, respectively, considering the first scenario range from 0.10 to 0.34 mSv y-1 and 0.17 to 0.33 mSv y-1. The value found, considering the second scenario range from 0.24 to 9.9 mSv y-1 to the Águas de Lindóia bathhouse and from 0.03 to 0.09 mSv y-1 to the Thermas Antônio Carlos bathhouse. Considering the third scenario, the dose values found range from 0.01 to 0.02 mSv y-1 for both bathhouses.

O Planalto de Poços de Caldas, localizado a sudoeste de Minas Gerais, é exemplo da maior intrusão alcalina ocorrida no Brasil, formada por processos de vulcanismo e intemperismo, ocorridos há cerca de 60-80 milhões de anos. Estes processos foram responsáveis pela formação de mineralizações de zircônio e molibdênio e diversas anomalias radioativas. Mais recentemente, a presença na região de várias fontes antrópicas, dentre elas o beneficiamento de urânio da Indústrias Nucleares Brasileiras Caldas, contribuíram para a inserção de vários elementos nos corpos d\'água da bacia do Ribeirão das Antas. O objetivo principal deste estudo foi fazer uso de perfis sedimentares e taxas de sedimentação para reconstituir historicamente a inserção de radionuclídeos e possíveis contaminantes na represa Bortolan e Poço Fundo ao longo dos anos. Nesses perfis foram determinados os teores dos radionuclídeos naturais U, 226Ra e 210Pb e dos elementos Mn, Mo, Ni, Zn e P por meio das técnicas de espectrometria gama, espectrometria de emissão atômica por plasma acoplado indutivamente (ICP- AES) e espectrofotometria. A taxa de sedimentação e a idade dos perfis foram avaliadas utilizando-se o modelo Constant Rate of Supply. Verificou-se que a utilização do modelo Constant Rate of Supply para a determinação das idades dos perfis forneceu resultados satisfatórios e da mesma ordem da grandeza das idades reais das represas Bortolan e Poço Fundo, 60 anos e 67 anos, respectivamente. Os valores obtidos para a taxa de sedimentação foram maiores para a represa Bortolan, devido ao assoreamento da represa, à urbanização e ocupação extensiva do solo para fins agrícolas e industriais. Analisando os resultados obtidos para a concentração dos elementos U, 226Ra, 210Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni, P e Zn, pode-se afirmar que os elementos que apresentaram contribuições antrópicas na represa Bortolan são o Mn, P e Zn. As maiores concentrações obtidas foram encontradas nas secções superficiais, indicando que o maior aporte ocorreu mais recentemente, a partir do ano de 1997. Os resultados obtidos para U e Ni não variaram ao longo dos perfis e são da mesma ordem de grandeza de dados da literatura para a mesma represa, indicando que esses valores podem ser considerados como níveis basais da região. Em particular, os resultados de concentração de U para a represa Bortolan foram elevados, visto que a região do planalto de Poços de Caldas é caracterizada por ser uma anomalia radioativa. O Mo não apresentou variação significativa ao longo dos perfis da represa Bortolan e sua concentração média também é da mesma ordem de grandeza do valor médio mundial para solo. Portanto, para esse elemento não foi verificado um aporte antrópico. Para os resultados de concentração dos elementos analisados no perfil da represa de Poço Fundo, pode-se afirmar que todos são próximos das concentrações médias mundiais e inferiores aos resultados obtidos na represa Bortolan. / The Poços de Caldas Plateau, located in the southwest of Minas Gerais, is the greatest intrusion that occurred in Brazil, formed by processes of volcanism and weathering, which occurred about 60-80 million years ago. These processes were responsible by the formation of zirconium and molybdenum mineralizations and various radioactive anomalies. More recently, the presence in the region of several anthropogenic sources, amongst them, the uranium mining from Industrias Nucleares Brasileiras - Caldas, contributed to the entry of several natural radionuclides in the water bodies of Ribeirão das Antas. The aim of this study was to use sediment profiles and sedimentation rates to reconstruct the insertion of radionuclides and possible contaminants in the Bortolan and Poço Fundo dams over the years. In these profiles, the concentration of the natural radionuclides U, 226Ra and 210Pb, and the Mn, Mo, Ni, Zn and P elements were determined by Gamma Spectrometry, Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometry and Spectrophotometry. The sedimentation rate and age of the profiles were evaluated using the Constant Rate of Supply. model. It was verified that the use of the Constant Rate of Supply. model to determine the ages of the sediment profiles gave satisfactory results, of the same order of magnitude of the real ages of the Bortolan and Poço Fundo dams, 60 years and 67 years, respectively. The values obtained for the sedimentation rate were higher for the Bortolan dam, due to silting of the dam, urbanization and extensive land occupation for agricultural and industrial activities. The results obtained for the concentration of the analyzed elements showed that Mn, P and Zn presented anthropogenic contributions in the Bortolan dam. The highest concentrations obtained were found in the superficial sections, indicating that the largest contribution occurred more recently, from the year of 1997 until now. The results obtained for U and Ni did not vary along the profiles and are of the same order of magnitude of literature data for sediments of Bortolan dam, indicating that these values can be considered as the base line for the region. In particular, the results of U concentration for the sediments of Bortolan dam were higher than natural background, since the region of Poços de Caldas plateau is characterized by a radioactive anomaly. The Mo did not present significant variation along the profiles of the Bortolan dam and its average concentration is also of the same order of magnitude of the world average value for soil. Therefore, for this element an anthropogenic contribution was not verified. The results obtained for the concentration of the elements analyzed in the Poço Fundo dam profile are of the same order of magnitude as the world average value for soil and lower than the results obtained in the Bortolan dam sediment profile.

Quantitative soil ingestion studies employing a mass balance tracer approach have been used to determine soil ingestion rate for use in human health risk assessments (HHRAs). Past studies have focused on soil ingestion in populations living in urban/suburban environments and the results have been highly variable. Moreover, there is a paucity of reliable quantitative soil ingestion data to support human health risk assessments of other lifestyles that may be predisposed to ingesting soil, such as indigenous populations following traditional lifestyles. Thus, the primary objective of the research was to determine if populations following lifestyles typical of traditional land use practices in rural or wilderness areas ingest more soil than populations living in urban or suburban environments. Further, the research investigated the use of alternative mass balance tracers, specifically isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series, to reduce soil ingestion estimate variability. Mass balance tracer methods were developed and validated in a pilot canine study, and methods using isotope tracers were adapted to permit quantification of sediment ingestion in the benthic fish Moxostoma macrolepidotum (Shorthead Redhorse Sucker). A pilot human soil ingestion study of 7 subjects from an Aboriginal community in British Columbia was conducted over a 3-week period. The mean soil ingestion rate calculated using the daily means of the 4 elemental tracers with the lowest food-to-soil ratios (i.e., Al, Ce, La, Si) was observed to be approximately 74 mg d-1 (standard deviation 91 mg d-1), The median soil ingestion rate was 60 mg d-1, and the 90th percentile was 196 mg d-1. These soil ingestion rate estimates are higher than those currently recommended for HHRAs of adults, and higher than those obtained in most previous studies of adults. However, the estimates are much lower than the earlier qualitative assessments for subsistence lifestyles (i.e., 330-400 mg d-1). The study results also demonstrated that isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series radionuclide are not reliable mass balance tracers for estimating soil ingestion in humans; however, they may be useful for quantifying soil and sediment ingestion in wildlife.

Quantitative soil ingestion studies employing a mass balance tracer approach have been used to determine soil ingestion rate for use in human health risk assessments (HHRAs). Past studies have focused on soil ingestion in populations living in urban/suburban environments and the results have been highly variable. Moreover, there is a paucity of reliable quantitative soil ingestion data to support human health risk assessments of other lifestyles that may be predisposed to ingesting soil, such as indigenous populations following traditional lifestyles. Thus, the primary objective of the research was to determine if populations following lifestyles typical of traditional land use practices in rural or wilderness areas ingest more soil than populations living in urban or suburban environments. Further, the research investigated the use of alternative mass balance tracers, specifically isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series, to reduce soil ingestion estimate variability. Mass balance tracer methods were developed and validated in a pilot canine study, and methods using isotope tracers were adapted to permit quantification of sediment ingestion in the benthic fish Moxostoma macrolepidotum (Shorthead Redhorse Sucker). A pilot human soil ingestion study of 7 subjects from an Aboriginal community in British Columbia was conducted over a 3-week period. The mean soil ingestion rate calculated using the daily means of the 4 elemental tracers with the lowest food-to-soil ratios (i.e., Al, Ce, La, Si) was observed to be approximately 74 mg d-1 (standard deviation 91 mg d-1), The median soil ingestion rate was 60 mg d-1, and the 90th percentile was 196 mg d-1. These soil ingestion rate estimates are higher than those currently recommended for HHRAs of adults, and higher than those obtained in most previous studies of adults. However, the estimates are much lower than the earlier qualitative assessments for subsistence lifestyles (i.e., 330-400 mg d-1). The study results also demonstrated that isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series radionuclide are not reliable mass balance tracers for estimating soil ingestion in humans; however, they may be useful for quantifying soil and sediment ingestion in wildlife.

The paper describes the Rossendorf Beamline (ROBL) built by the Forschungszentrum Rossendorf at the ESRF. ROBL comprises two different and independently operating experimental stations: a radiochemistry laboratory for X-ray absorption spectroscopy of non-sealed radioactive samples and a general purpose materials research station for X-ray diffraction and reflectometry mainly of thin films and interfaces modified by ion beam techniques. The radiochemistry set-up is worldwide an unique installation at a modern synchrotron radiation source.

Η εργασία αυτή φιλοδοξεί να εκτιμήσει την περιβαλλοντική κατάσταση στο στενό Ψυττάλειας -Κερατσινίου,όπου ο κεντρικός αποχετευτικός αγωγός απέριπτε αστικά λύματα και βιομηχανικά απόβλητα του νομού Αττικής. Προσδιορίσθηκαν οι συγκεντρώσεις των βαρέων μετάλλων του οργανικού άνθρακα, των φυσικών ραδιονουκλιδίων και του Cs-137. Έξι δειγματοληπτικές πυρηνοληψίες που εκτελέσθηκαν σε επιλεγμένα σημεία οδήγησαν στον καθορισμό του στρώματος της οργανικής λάσπης, ενώ διαπιστώθηκαν οι υψηλές συγκεντρώσεις των βαρέων μετάλλων που περιέχονται σε αυτή. Οι τιμές της ειδικής ραδιενέργειας των φυσικών ραδιονουκλιδίων είναι αντίστοιχες με αυτές των φυσικών ιζημάτων ενώ αυτές του Cs-137 ήταν σχετικά υψηλές παρουσιάζοντας σαφείς κατανομές με το βάθος. / The present research estimates the environmental situation in the Psittalia – Keratsini strait, where the outfall sewer of Athens discharged untreated sewage to the sea. The concentrations of heavy metals, organic carbon, natural radionuclides and Cs-137 were determined. Six sample cores were collected. The geochemical analysis determined high concentrations of heavy metals and Corg in the layer of organic mud. The concentrations of natural radionuclides were similar of those in natural sediments while those of Cs-137 were relatively high presenting explicit distributions with depth.

Tikslas - išanalizuoti maisto produktuose aptiktus sunkiuosius metalus ir radionuklidus, bei palyginti šiuos duomenis su Lietuvos Respublikos ir Europos Sąjungos teisės aktais; atlikti sunkiųjų metalų bei radionuklidų monitoringo (1998-2006 m). tyrimų rezultatų statistinę analizę; gautus rezultatus palyginti su sunkiųjų metalų ir radionuklidų reglamentuotomis normomis. Darbo metu atlikta sunkiųjų metalų bei radionuklidų patekimo į organizmą, įtakos žmogaus sveikatai literatūros duomenų analizė. Aptartas sunkiųjų metalų bei radionuklidų teisinis reglamentavimas LR bei ES, aptarti literatūroje rasti sunkiųjų metalų ir radionuklidų monitoringo duomenys. Informacija ir tyrimų medžiaga (nepageidaujamų likučių, jų tarpe sunkiųjų metalų ir radionuklidų kiekio duomenys) gauti iš Nacionalinės veterinarijos laboratorijos ir atlikta jų statisitinė analizė SPSS statistiniu paketu (SPSS Inc, 1995-2007). Tyrimų duomenų analizės metu nustatyta, kad didžiausi švino kiekiai rasti 1998 metais (tyrimai vykdyti 1998-2004). Kai kuriuose mėginiuose (paukštienoje, žuvyje) ��vino norma viršyta 2 – 5 kartus. Daugiausia švino aptikta pieno mėginiuose 1998 m. Iš 13 tirtų mėginių 11 mėginių švino norma viršyta netgi 10 kartų (0,11 – 0,2 mg/kg) kai norma 0,02 mg/kg. 1998 m. taip pat daug švino rasta žvėrienoje, visuose tirtuose 39 mėginiuose viršyta norma, tačiau dešimtyje jo rasta ypač daug - 0,51 – 2,5 mg/kg, kai norma yra 0,1. Didesni nei leistina norma švino kiekiai (1998-2004 metais) nustatyti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The purpose is to analyze the heavy metals and radionuclides encountered in food products, and to compare this data with the legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Union; to do the statistical analysis of monitoring results (1998-2006) of heavy metals and radionuclides; and to compare the results to the regulated norms of the heavy metals and radionuclides. There was done the analysis of the literature’s data on the mode, how heavy metals and radionuclides get into the organism and affect the human health. The legal regulation of the heavy metals and radionuclides in the LR and EU was discussed together with the monitoring data found in the literature on the heavy metals and radionuclides. The information and research material (data on the amount of undesirable remains, including heavy metals and radionuclides) were received from the National Laboratory of Veterinary. Their statistical analysis was done with the help of SPSS statistical package (SPSS Inc, 1995-2007). According to the data analysis, the biggest amounts of lead were found in 1998 (researches were done in 1998-2004). In some samples (fowl, fish) the lead’s norm was exceeded from 2 to 5 times. The biggest amount of lead was encountered in milk samples in 1998. Among 13 analyzed samples, 11 had the lead’s norm exceeded 10 times (0,11 – 0,2 mg/kg) when the norm is 0,02 mg/kg. In 1998 a lot of lead was found in game; the norm was exceeded in all 39 samples, but in ten of them there was extremely... [to full text]

Annotation Il y a plusieurs périodes quad les radioactivité des radionuclides dans l��environement sont grandi . Ces périodes s’ont trouvé à cause des explosions nucléaires et d’avarie de la station atomique de Chernobyl. Les radionuclides se retrouvent dans les plantes avec les emisions d’atmosphere par les surterres partes, avec le fluide de sol par les system de la rasines. Les radionuclides s’accumulent dans les plantes. L’accumulation des radionuclides dans les plantes dépende de la pollutions, du sol type dominant, des particularités chimiques et fisiques des radionuclides, de la forme chimique des radionuclides, du type des plants, des particularités climatiques. Le pin (Pinus sylvestris L.) est très étendu en Lituanie. Très souvent les maladies des champingion et des moisissures attaquent cet type d’arbre. C'est pourquoi nous choisisons le pin (Pinus sylvestris L.), qui est attaqué des maladies des champingion et des moisissures pour les recherches. Nous avons ramassé et traité tels échantillons: du sol, des mousses, des branches, des rasines, des aiguilles, du boi. Dans notre échantillons nous avons déterminé les activités des 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 137Cs et les facteurs de transfert des radionuclides dans le systèm sol – arbre. Dans les 27 échantillons de bois nous avons déterminé les colonies des champingions. Mais le excitateur de moisissure (Heterobasidion annosum) as déterminé seulement en un échantillon de bois. Nous avons estimé quel est l’influence des... [to full text]

Quantitative soil ingestion studies employing a mass balance tracer approach have been used to determine soil ingestion rate for use in human health risk assessments (HHRAs). Past studies have focused on soil ingestion in populations living in urban/suburban environments and the results have been highly variable. Moreover, there is a paucity of reliable quantitative soil ingestion data to support human health risk assessments of other lifestyles that may be predisposed to ingesting soil, such as indigenous populations following traditional lifestyles. Thus, the primary objective of the research was to determine if populations following lifestyles typical of traditional land use practices in rural or wilderness areas ingest more soil than populations living in urban or suburban environments. Further, the research investigated the use of alternative mass balance tracers, specifically isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series, to reduce soil ingestion estimate variability. Mass balance tracer methods were developed and validated in a pilot canine study, and methods using isotope tracers were adapted to permit quantification of sediment ingestion in the benthic fish Moxostoma macrolepidotum (Shorthead Redhorse Sucker). A pilot human soil ingestion study of 7 subjects from an Aboriginal community in British Columbia was conducted over a 3-week period. The mean soil ingestion rate calculated using the daily means of the 4 elemental tracers with the lowest food-to-soil ratios (i.e., Al, Ce, La, Si) was observed to be approximately 74 mg d-1 (standard deviation 91 mg d-1), The median soil ingestion rate was 60 mg d-1, and the 90th percentile was 196 mg d-1. These soil ingestion rate estimates are higher than those currently recommended for HHRAs of adults, and higher than those obtained in most previous studies of adults. However, the estimates are much lower than the earlier qualitative assessments for subsistence lifestyles (i.e., 330-400 mg d-1). The study results also demonstrated that isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series radionuclide are not reliable mass balance tracers for estimating soil ingestion in humans; however, they may be useful for quantifying soil and sediment ingestion in wildlife.

L’uranium, le thorium et leurs descendants se trouvent a l’état de traces dans toutes les roches sur Terre. Sous l’action de l’érosion, des mécanismes de formation des sols et des transferts sol-plante, ces radionucléides sont disséminés dans toutes les composantes de l’environnement et via les chaînes alimentaires, ils sont transmis aux animaux et à l’homme. L’objectif de cette étude consiste à améliorer les connaissances sur les niveaux et la variabilité des activités de ces radionucléides dans différentes denrées et à faire progresser les connaissances sur leurs sources et leurs transferts. Cette étude s’intéresse à la variabilité géologique des sites étudiés (substrat granitique, volcanique et alluvial) sur lesquels sont prélevés différentes denrées (légumes, céréales, viandes, oeufs et produits laitiers). Les sources potentielles de radionucléides (eau d’irrigation et sol pour les végétaux ; eau d’abreuvage, aliments et sol pour les produits animaux) sont prélevées afin d’étudier leur contribution aux activités mesurées dans les denrées. Les résultats obtenus montrent une grande variabilité des activités dans les végétaux, moins prononcée dans les produits animaux. La source principale de radionucléides aux végétaux semble être le sol de culture. La remise en suspension de particules de sol et leur adhésion à la surface des végétaux ainsi que l'eau d’irrigation semblent important dans certains cas. Concernant les activités dans les produits animaux, une contribution significative du sol a l’activité en thorium a été mise en évidence. La contribution de l’eau à l’activité en uranium dans les volailles constitue une piste à approfondir. / Uranium, thorium and their decay products are present in trace amounts in all rocks on Earth. Weathering, Mechanisms of soil formation and soil-plant transfers lead to the presence of these radionuclides in all the components of the environment and, through the food-chain transfers, they are also present in animals and men. The objective of this study consists in improving the knowledge on the levels and the variability of the activities of these radionuclides in various foodstuffs and on their sources and transfers. This study is based on the geological variability of the studied sites (granitic, volcanic and alluvial areas) where various foodstuffs are sampled (vegetables, cereals, meat, eggs and dairy products). The possible sources of radionuclides (irrigation waters and soils for plants; water, food and soils for animals) are also sampled in order to study their contribution to the measured activities in the foodstuffs. The results obtained present high variability of the activities in plants, less pronounced in animal products. For plants, the main radionuclide source seems to be the crop soils. Irrigation water, soil particle resuspension and their adhesion to plant surface seems to be important in some cases. For the activities in animal products, a significant contribution of the soil to thorium activity was highlighted. Water contribution to uranium activity in meat and eggs is an area worth further researches. Thus, this study of the possible sources of radionuclides highlights the importance of their role in the understanding of the radionuclide transfers to foodstuffs.