Distribution of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in soil and beach sand samples of Kalpakkam (India) using hyper pure germanium (HPGe) gamma ray spectrometry.

Pre-operational survey at Kalpakkam coast, indicated elevated gamma background radiation levels in the range of 100-4000 nGy h(-1) over the large tracts of the coastal sands due to the presence of pockets of monazite mineral in beach sands. In view of the prevalence of monazite, a systematic gamma spectrometric study of distribution of natural radionuclides in soil and beach sand samples collected from the terrestrial and coastal environment of Kalpakkam was performed and concentrations of primordial radionuclides such as 238U, 232Th and 40K and anthropogenic radionuclide 137Cs were determined. The concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K in soil samples were 5-71, 15-776 and 200-854 Bq kg(-1) dry, respectively. In beach sand samples, 238U, 232Th and 40K contents varied in the range of 36-258, 352-3872 and 324-405 Bq kg(-1) dry, respectively. The total absorbed gamma dose rate in air due to the presence of 238U, 232Th and 40K in Kalpakkam soil samples varied between 24 and 556 nGy h(-1) with a mean of 103 nGy h(-1). The contribution to the total absorbed gamma dose rate in air in the decreasing order was due to the presence of 232Th (76.4%), followed by 40K (16.9%) and 238U (6.7%) in Kalpakkam soils. However, in beach areas of Kalpakkam, the presence of 232Th in beach sand contributed maximum (94.0%) to the total absorbed gamma dose rate in air followed by 238U (4.7%) and minimum contribution was by 40K (1.3%). 137Cs in Kalpakkam soils ranged from < or = 1.0 to 2.8 Bq kg(-1) dry, which was 1-3 order of magnitude less than the concentration of primordial radionuclides in soil.     

Suicides in Trakya region, Turkey, from 1984 to 2004

The aim of this study is to investigate some features of suicide cases in Trakya region, Turkey. During the 21-year period from January 1984 to September 2004, there were 137 suicide cases autopsied by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Trakya University. Suicides comprised 16.1% of all forensic autopsies. Twenty-seven per cent of the cases were aged between 21 and 30 years and the mean age was 39.7 years. Males constituted 78.1% of the cases. The most frequent method of suicide was hanging (40.1%), followed by firearms, and poisoning. Overall, suicide rates in males showed an increase in the last five years. Most of the suicides occurred in the winter months. In conclusion, since suicides present a major public health problem, detection and prevention methods must be developed for high-risk groups.     

Multivariate statistical analyses of artificial radionuclides and heavy metals contaminations in deep mud of Keban Dam Lake, Turkey.

On the basis of the artificial radioactive and heavy metal compositions, factor and cluster analyses are employed to identify the inter-relationship among different variables and their similarity groups. In this paper, 15 physico-chemical variables, including the activities of 137Cs, 90Sr, total alpha, total beta, and concentrations of Fe, Mg, Ca, K, Na, Zn, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, and Mn, are used for the application of the proposed methodologies. The spatio-temporal samples of these variables are collected from deep mud at about 30-35 m mean depth in the reservoir of Keban Dam Lake, which is located in the eastern part of Turkey. Spatially, there are 20 sampling sites at the dam with 150 km2 lake surface area where samples were taken in 2006. The lake is affected by man-made and industrial influxes. The application of the factor and cluster analysis methods yields that the former method reduces the number of variables into six factors with 77.2% variance explanation whereas the latter yields three distinctive groups of the same variables.     

Natural radioactivity levels in granitic plutons and groundwaters in Southeast part of Eskisehir, Turkey.

The present work investigated the radioactivity level of the granitoid plutons and its effect on the groundwaters in the southeast part of Eskisehir. Fourteen granitic samples from the Kaymaz and Sivrihisar plutons and 11 groundwater samples from the near vicinity of the pluton were analyzed. The activity concentrations measured for (238)U and (232)Th ranged from 43.59+/-2 to 651.80+/-24 Bq/kg, and 51.16+/-3 to 351.94+/-13 Bq/kg, respectively. The activity concentrations obtained for (40)K varied from 418.50+/-17 to 1618.03+/-66 Bq/kg. The absorbed dose rates in air outdoors ranged from 87.14 to 531.81 nGy/h. All the results obtained from the Kaymaz pluton are higher than those from the Sivrihisar. The U (ave. 16.6 ppm) and Th (ave. 49.9 ppm) values of the Kaymaz pluton are higher than the average concentrations of the magmatic rocks of granitic composition. These results are consistent with high dose rates of the pluton. The gross-alpha activities in the groundwater samples ranged from 0.009 to 1.64 Bq/l and the gross-beta activities from 0.006 to 0.89 Bq/l. The highest gross-alpha value was found in the sample taken from near the Kaymaz pluton. The concentrations of (222)Rn varied from 0.060 to 0.557 Bq/l.     

Natural radionuclides in fish species from surface water of Bagjata and Banduhurang uranium mining areas,East Singhbhum,Jharkhand, India

Purpose:?To study the natural radionuclides in the freshwater fish samples around the uranium mining areas of Bagjata and Banduhurang, East Singhbhum, Jharkhand, India

Materials and methods:?The naturally occurring radioisotopes of uranium, U(nat), consisting of ²³⁴U, ²³⁵U and ²³⁸U; ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁰Th and ²¹⁰Po were analysed in the fish samples from the surface water of Bagjata and Banduhurang mining areas after acid digestion. The ingestion dose, concentration factor and excess lifetime cancer risk of the radionuclides were estimated.

Results:?The geometric mean activity of U(nat), ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁰Th and ²¹⁰Po in the fish samples was found to be 0.05, 0.19, 0.29 and 0.95 Bq kg^?1_fresh (Becquerel per kilogram fresh fish), respectively, in the Bagjata mining area, while for Banduhurang mining area it was estimated to be 0.08, 0.41, 0.22 and 2.48 Bq kg^?1_fresh, respectively. The ingestion dose was computed to be 1.88 and 4.16?μSvY^?1, respectively, for both the areas which is much below the 1 mSv limit set in the new International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations. The estimation of the Concentration Factors (CF) reveal that the CF from water is greater than 1 l/kg^?1in most of the cases while from sediment CF is less than 1. The excess individual lifetime cancer risk due to the consumption of fish was calculated to be 2.53?×?10^?5 and 6.48?×?10^?5, respectively, for Bagjata and Banduhurang areas, which is within the acceptable excess individual lifetime cancer risk value of 1?×?10^?4.

Conclusion:?The study confirms that current levels of radioactivity do not pose a significant radiological risk to freshwater fish consumers.     

Heat production rate from radioactive elements in igneous and metamorphic rocks in Eastern Desert, Egypt.

Radioactive heat-production data of Igneous and Metamorphic outcrops in the Eastern Desert are presented. Samples were analysed using a low level gamma-ray spectrometer (HPGe) in the laboratory. A total of 205 rock samples were investigated, covering all major rock types of the area. The heat-production rate of igneous rocks ranges from 0.11 (basalt) to 9.53 microWm(-3) (granite). In metamorphic rocks it varies from 0.28 (serpentinite ) to 0.91 microWm(-3) (metagabbro). The contribution due to U is about 51%, as that from Th is 31% and 18% from K. The corresponding values in igneous rocks are 76%, 19% and 5%, respectively. The calculated values showed good agreement with global values except in some areas containing granites.     

Thorium series radionuclides in the environment: Measurement, dose assessment and regulation.

Environmental radioactivity research is more advanced for the (238)U series than for the (232)Th series, for a number of reasons. One reason is that some radionuclides of the (232)Th series are more difficult to measure than the corresponding isotopes in the (238)U series, and measurement techniques are less widely available. The (232)Th series population doses, however, are sometimes significant. This paper analyses some main radionuclides in the (232)Th series in comparison with corresponding nuclides in the (238)U series, with regard to measurement techniques, dose coefficients and regulation needs.     

Distribution of sexual and asexual Ostracoda (Crustacea) from different altitudinal ranges in the Ordu region of Turkey: testing the Rapoport Rule

We evaluated Rapoport's rule which states a negative correlation between species richness and altitude. To understand the relationship between altitude and reproductive modes (a/sexual) of non-marine ostracods, 166 aquatic bodies in Ordu region, Turkey were randomly sampled from July 11 to July 16, 2010. A total of 26 species of ostracods were found from 133 out of 166 sites. Except for one species (Heterocypris incongruens), the other 25 species were new reports for the region. Candona improvisa was also a new report for Turkish ostracod fauna. Three species (Psychrodromus olivaceus, H. incongruens, and C. neglecta) occurred most frequently as 43, 46, and 76 times, respectively. Canonical correspondence analyses exhibited two variables [Habitat type (p=0.014; F=2.171) and water temperature (p=0.018; F=2.248)] as having the most effect on species. Correlation of species' reproductive modes to those of environmental variables measured was not significant. UPGMA dendrogram displayed 15 most frequently occurring species into four clusters where most species (11) were asexual. Although a small group (asexual species without swimming setae) showed a tendency to habitat type and electrical conductivity, such variables are believed to play secondary role on species distribution. Highest species diversity (13 species) was observed at the range of 1200 and 1400?m (a.s.l.), where numbers of stations sampled was not the highest (22). Numbers of asexual species (19) were higher than the sexual (11) but there were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the frequencies of their occurrences at different altitudinal ranges. Accordingly, our findings do not support the Rapoport Rule. Results yield that reproductive modes of species (sexual and asexual) was not directly correlated to altitude or any environmental variables measured during this study. A better explanation of ostracod diversity appears to be suitability of habitats.     

Water diffusion, T(2), and compartmentation in frog sciatic nerve.

A potential relationship between structural compartments in neural tissue and NMR parameters may increase the specificity of MRI in diagnosing diseases. Nevertheless, our understanding of MR of nerves and white matter is limited, particularly the influence of various water compartments on the MR signal is not known. In this study, components of the (1)H transverse relaxation decay curve in frog peripheral nerve were correlated with the diffusion characteristics of the water in the nerve. Three T(2) values were identified with nerve. Water mobility was found to be unrestricted on the timescale of 100 msec in the component of the signal with the intermediate T(2) time, suggesting some contribution from the interstitial space to this T(2) component. Restricted diffusion was observed in the component with the longest T(2) time, supporting the assignment of at least part of the spins contributing to this component to an intracellular compartment. The observed nonexponential behavior of the diffusion attenuation curves was investigated and shown to be potentially caused by the wide range of axon sizes in the nerve. Magn Reson Med 42:911-918, 1999.     

Trace metals and 210Po (210Pb) concentrations in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) consumed at western Anatolia.

The mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) have been evaluated for their bioavailability as biomonitors of trace and toxic elements in coastal water of western Anatolia. The levels of Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Br and Sr in the edible part of mussels were determined using X-ray fluorescence method during the period of September 1999-July 2000. Distribution of 210Po and 210Pb activities were measured by radiometric methods and their ratios were calculated. The activity concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb were found to vary between 52 +/- 6-1,344 +/- 108 and 6 +/- 2-167 +/- 10 Bqkg(-1) dry wt, respectively. The highest values for 210Po and 210Pb were measured in Foca mussels and also observed the highest Fe, Zn and Br concentrations in the same species. 210Po/210Pb activity ratio were derived as between 3.1 and 25.0.     

Systematics of (p,alpha) (p,nalpha), and (p,np) reaction cross-sections.

Semi-empirical systematics of (p,alpha) (p,nalpha), and (p,np) reaction cross-sections were obtained at various incident proton energies from 17.9 to 28.5 MeV. Systematics are based on analytical formulas derived using the pre-equilibrium exciton model, evaporation model and semi-empirical mass formula. Parameters of systematics were fitted to the data obtained from the analysis of available measured cross-sections for (p,alpha) (p,nalpha), and (p,np) reactions.     

"Chemical fingerprints" of pumice from Cappadocia (Turkey) and Kos (Greece) for archaeological applications.

Pumice has been used as a serviceable abrasive or religious artefact since antiquity and has therefore been an object of trade. It can be found in excavations of ancient workshops all over the Mediterranean.Pumice lumps from the major pumice-bearing rhyolitic tephra units in Cappadocia—the Central Anatolian Volcanic Province, Turkey (in particular the ignimbrites Kavak, Çemilköy, Tahar, Gördeles, and the volcanic complexes of Acıgöl and Hasan Dağı), were sampled and analyzed for major and trace element concentrations using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Elements determined were Na, K, Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Rb, Zr, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, Th, and U.Since the distribution of those elements is characteristic of the products of a certain eruption, this “chemical fingerprint” can be used to establish the origin of an unknown pumice sample by comparison with samples of known origin. In the course of this study, it could be shown that one pumice finding from the excavation in Miletos (Turkey) probably originates from the Hasan Dağı volcanic complex in Cappadocia. Since it is known that the population in Miletos focused their trade connections on the Mediterranean, this result is somewhat surprising.Two other samples from Miletos show a very high similarity to the chemical fingerprint of pumice from the Kos Plateau Tuff (KPT; Greece): In one case, the identification is doubtless, in the other case identification as KPT seems quite probable.     

Relationships between ESR-evaluated doses estimated from enamel and activity of radionuclides in bone and teeth of reindeer.

Doses of radiation estimated from ESR analysis of tooth enamel were compared with activities of alpha- and beta-emitters in enamel and in bone tissue of mandibles of 77 reindeer from populations with different levels of radiation contamination. Contribution of the radionuclides incorporated into bone (or bone-seeking radionuclides in food) to ESR-evaluated doses was substantial and the contribution of the radionuclides incorporated into enamel itself proved to be relatively small.     

Uranium statistical and geological evaluation of airborne spectrometric data in the Al-Awabed region and its surroundings (Area-3), Northern Palmyrides,Syria

Qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis have been applied to the Airborne spectrometric data from the Al-Awabed region and its surroundings (Area-3), Northern Palmyrides, Syria. It was shown that equivalent uranium eU values vary between a minimum of 0.01 and a maximum of 22.33 ppm. The probability graph has been used to compute the threshold level of uranium in the study area. It was found that this threshold level of 5.54 ppm agrees well with that obtained by traditional statistical computation $(\overline{X}+2\sigma )$. Uranium prospecting methodology is proposed in order to explain the origin of the radioactive anomalies related to the Al-Awabed region and its surroundings in Area-3, and to determine the dominant geological conditions that effectively contribute to the radioactive anomalies occurring in the study area. Four radioactive-geological profiles have been established in Area-3, where their analysis and study reveal that lowlands and basins, the unconformity between Paleogene and Neogene, the contact between Cretaceous and Paleogene and the phosphate beds themselves are considered favorable environments for uranium deposits. The proposed methodology is proven and field verified and can be therefore applied in other areas considered as promising for uranium deposits.