Uranium and thorium exposures associated with conventional mining

A. Azeredo; L. Julião; M. Santos; D. Melo; J. Lipsztein

doi:10.1007/bf02047975

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Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Volume/Issue:: Volume 182: Issue 1

Uranium and thorium exposures associated with conventional mining

Authors:

A. Azeredo

A. Azeredo Av. Salvador Allende, s/no Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria/CNEN via 9-Barra da Tijuca CEP 22780-160 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

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L. Julião

L. Julião Av. Salvador Allende, s/no Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria/CNEN via 9-Barra da Tijuca CEP 22780-160 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

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M. Santos

M. Santos Av. Salvador Allende, s/no Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria/CNEN via 9-Barra da Tijuca CEP 22780-160 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

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D. Melo

D. Melo Av. Salvador Allende, s/no Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria/CNEN via 9-Barra da Tijuca CEP 22780-160 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

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J. Lipsztein

J. Lipsztein Av. Salvador Allende, s/no Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria/CNEN via 9-Barra da Tijuca CEP 22780-160 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

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Pages:: 127–132

Online Publication Date:: 14 Aug 2005

Publication Date:: 17 Jul 1994

Article Category:: Research Article

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02047975

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Abstract

Internal contamination with radioactive materials of mining workers is a common problem in Brazil. This is caused by the presence of uranium, thorium, and their natural decay series associated with the mined ore. The clear examples are the workers at the niobium mine located in the state of Goiás. The niobium is associated with considerable quantities of uranium and thorium, but the mine is not legally subject to radiation protection requirements.Twenty mine workers were evaluated using in vitro bioassay techniques (urine and feces). The fecal samples were analyzed by alpha spectrometry using the method developed in the Bioassay Laboratory of the Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria/CNEN which evaluates thorium and uranium isotopes simultaneously. Minor modifications were introduced to measure a higher level of activity, around 1 Bq of uranium per sample. The urine samples were analyzed by alpha spectrometry for thorium and by fluorimetry for uranium. The results obtained show that a control of the occupationally-exposed workers is necessary.

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Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Print ISSN:: 0236-5731

Online ISSN:: 1588-2780

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Journal of Radionalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Language	English
Size	A4
Year of Foundation	1968
Volumes per Year	1
Issues per Year	12
Founder	Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher	Akadémiai Kiadó Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245. CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible Publisher	Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN	0236-5731 (Print)
ISSN	1588-2780 (Online)