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Natural radioactivity in aerosols collected in a NORM Industry: Radiological implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2009

J. Barescut ,
E. G. San Miguel ,
J. P. Bolívar  and
R. García-Tenorio
E. G. San Miguel
Affiliation:
Dpto Fίsica Aplicada, Facultad Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
J. P. Bolívar
Affiliation:
Dpto Fίsica Aplicada, Facultad Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
R. García-Tenorio*
Affiliation:
Dpto Fίsica Aplicada II, E.T.S. Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
*
gtenorio@us.es
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Abstract

On the frame of a broad project devoted to the evaluation of the occupational and environmental radiological impact of several NORM industries located at the South-West Spain, a study determining the U-series radionuclides levels in air particulate matter has been accomplished inside a phosphate rock processing plant dedicated to phosphoric acid production. U-series radionuclides concentrations in aerosols collected inside this plant have been determined and compared with those obtained in aerosols collected from a reference monitoring station not affected by NORM industries or other anthropogenic inputs. Additionally, based on the observed increments in the volumetric concentrations of the radionuclides from the U-series in the plant, the increase in the occupational doses due to inhalation for their workers has been estimated. Even under conservative assumptions, the dose enhancements are clearly below 1 mSv/year, the annual limit for the public.

Type
Research Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 44 , Issue 5: ECORAD 2008 - Radioecology and Environmental Radioactivity , 2009 , pp. 377 - 382
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2009

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References

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