Intake of uranium and radium-226 due to food crops consumption in the phosphate region of Pernambuco – Brazil

Natural radioactivity, dose assessment and uranium uptake by agricultural crops at Khan Al-Zabeeb, Jordan

“…Public radiation exposure from natural radioactive decay series of 238 U, 235 U, and 232 Th occurs mainly because they can get dissolved in water and migrate to surface water reservoirs, leading to the possibility of contaminating foodstuffs following soileplant transfer as well as getting ingested into the human body (Chen et al, 2005). They can also be suspended in air, and in case of gaseous radionuclides, can emanate into air, facilitating their incorporation into the body through inhalation (Amaral et al, 2005). Both types of exposure depend on the activity concentration of the radionuclide, making radiometric techniques key instrument in estimating the radiation dose received by humans.…”

226Ra, 228Ra and 40K in scales from boilers of industrial installations

“…According to Amaral [12], the region containing uranium phosphorite (where Paulista and Goiana are situated) is located in areas cut off by aquifers. Thus, the phosphorite deposits are potential sources of radionuclides to groundwater.…”

“…In addition, samples were also collected from industries located in the city of Paulista and in Goiana, both in Pernambuco and located in an area containing uranium phosphorite of Pernambuco, which presents higher than normal uranium concentrations in the soil [12]. Determination of the radionuclides concentration was performed by high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry.…”

Distribution of low-level natural radioactivity in a populated marine region of the easternMediterranean Sea

“…Most of the natural radionuclides belong to the natural radioactive decay series of 238 U, 235 U and 232 Th and their decay products, while there are also single decay radionuclides, particularly 40 K. Gamma radiation emitted from these radionuclides is present in all media mainly because they can get dissolved in water and migrate to surface water reservoirs, leading to the possibility of contaminating foodstuffs following soil-plant transfer, as well as getting ingested by human and non-human biota (3) . They can also be suspended in air, and in the case of gaseous radionuclides, can emanate into air, facilitating their incorporation into living bodies through inhalation (4) . Both types of exposure depend on the activity concentration of the radionuclide, making radiometric techniques a key instrument in dose-rate calculations.…”