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1.
J Radiol Prot ; 42(2)2022 05 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35506679

ABSTRACT

Under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessments (MODARIA II) Programme, Working Group 4 activities included collating radionuclide transfer data from Japan following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and separately collating concentration ratio (CR) data for root uptake of radionuclides by crops grown in tropical and arid climates. In this paper, the newly compiled radiocaesium CR data for fruit from Japan, tropical and arid climates have been combined with the data originally compiled for the IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 472 (TRS 472) and additional data identified from the literature to produce an enhanced MODARIA II dataset of fruit radiocaesium CR values. Statistical analysis of the MODARIA II dataset by climate class (based on the Köppen-Geiger climate classification) indicated that the CR values for tropical climates were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those for arid, temperate and cold climates. Statistical analysis of the MODARIA II dataset by soil group (based on soil texture) indicated that the CR values for coral sand soil (tropical climates only) and organic soil (temperate climates only) were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those for the clay, loam and sand soil groups. Statistical analysis of the MODARIA II dataset by plant group (based on plant morphology) indicated that the CR values for non-woody trees (tropical climate bias) were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those for herbaceous plants, shrubs and woody trees. Comparison of the MODARIA II dataset with original TRS 472 values showed only small changes in the fruit radiocaesium CR values for herbaceous plants and shrubs in temperate climates. There was a decrease in the CR values for woody trees in temperate climate across all soil groups. There was also a decrease in the CR values for tropical climates for all comparable soil groups.


Subject(s)
Nuclear Energy , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive , Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis , Fruit/chemistry , Radioisotopes/analysis , Sand , Soil , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis
2.
J Environ Radioact ; 235-236: 106650, 2021 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34058642

ABSTRACT

In this work we critically assess the soil-to-plant transfer factors (TF) for 137Cs and 40K in edible fleshy organs of tropical plants that are often components of the human diet. Radionuclide concentrations in soil and plants were obtained from previous investigations developed in Brazil, after the Goiânia radiological accident occurred in 1987. Transfer factors were determined in specific plant compartments (main root, main stem, bark, old and new branches, twig, old and new leaves, mature and green edible organs) of tropical species such as lemon (Citrus aurantifolia), orange (Citrus sinensis), guava (Psidium guajava), chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens), pomegranate (Punica granatum), papaya (Carica papaya), banana (Musa paradisíaca), and manioc (Manihot esculenta). For 137Cs, soil-to-fruit transfer factor ranged from 0.80 × 10-2 (banana) to 3.65 × 10-1 (pomegranate); for 40K, this factor was from 4.42 × 10-1 (orange) to 1.74 (chili pepper). Considering all the plant compartments analysed, the transfer factors for 40K are between 24.5 (guava) and 90.5 (papaya) times higher than for 137Cs. For both radionuclides, considerable differences in soil-to-plant transfer were found when new growing parts of the plant (green edible organ, leaf, and twig) are considered with respect to those older parts (mature edible organ, old leaf and branches). Considering all the species analyzed, the relationship TF(40K)/TF(137Cs) does not seem to follow a characteristic pattern. However, if we compare the value of this relationship for two organs of the same plant, the result is approximately constant, regardless of the species considered. This confirms earlier evidence that both radionuclides are similarly distributed in the different organs of the studied species. The differences in the transfer factors according to the ripening status of edible organs must be particularly considered when estimating the dose from ingestion of fruits and their derivatives in dose assessment models.


Subject(s)
Plants/metabolism , Radiation Monitoring , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive , Brazil , Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis , Soil , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Tropical Climate
3.
Acta neurol. colomb ; 37(1,supl.1): 20-26, mayo 2021. tab, graf
Article in Spanish | LILACS | ID: biblio-1248576

ABSTRACT

RESUMEN La infección por virus del dengue es una entidad común alrededor del mundo, países como Colombia presentan altas tasas de incidencia para esta enfermedad. Si bien el compromiso neurológico no es muy común, se han descrito diversas formas de manifestación a nivel del sistema nervioso, tanto central como periférico, y estas han empezado a constituir formas nosológicas claramente reconocidas, algunas de ellas pudiendo comprometer la supervivencia del paciente, siendo causales de cuadros clínicos más severos, como la encefalitis, la encefalomielitis aguda diseminada y la enfermedad cerebrovascular. Por ello, para el clínico es de vital importancia reconocer sus principales características y las pautas generales sobre su diagnóstico y respectivo tratamiento.


SUMMARY Dengue virus infection is extremely common worldwide, countries like Colombia have high incidence rates for dengue. Although neurological involvement is not very common, various forms of manifestations have been described at the level of the nervous system, both central and peripheral. These have begun to constitute clearly recognized nosological forms, such as encephalitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and cerebrovascular disease. For this reason, for the clinician it is essential to know them, because some of these conditions require specific and prompt therapeutic interventions.


Subject(s)
Transit-Oriented Development
4.
PLoS One ; 14(11): e0215117, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31714915

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer and cancer-related death among women in Ethiopia. This is the first study, to our knowledge, describing the demographic, and clinicopathologic characteristics of cervical cancer cases in a mainly rural, Southwestern Ethiopian population with a low literacy rate to provide data on the cervical cancer burden and help guide future prevention and intervention efforts. METHODS: A descriptive analysis of 154 cervical cancer cases at the Jimma University Teaching Hospital in Southwestern Ethiopia from January 2008 -December 2010 was performed. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from patient questionnaires and cervical punch biopsies were histologically examined. RESULTS: Of the 154 participants with a histopathologic diagnosis of cervical cancer, 95.36% had not heard of cervical cancer and 89.6% were locally advanced at the time of diagnosis. Moreover, 86.4% of participants were illiterate, and 62% lived in a rural area. CONCLUSION: A majority of the 154 women with cervical cancer studied at the Jimma University Teaching Hospital in Southwestern Ethiopia were illiterate, had not heard of cervical cancer and had advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Given the low rates of literacy and knowledge regarding cervical cancer in this population which has been shown to correlate with a decreased odds of undergoing screening, future interventions to address the cervical cancer burden here must include an effective educational component.


Subject(s)
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/epidemiology , Adult , Ethiopia/epidemiology , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Literacy , Mass Screening , Middle Aged , Rural Population , Surveys and Questionnaires , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis
5.
J Environ Radioact ; 198: 159-164, 2019 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30616071

ABSTRACT

137Cs can be an important environmental contaminant due to fallout from nuclear reactor accidents and atomic weapons testing. Its contribution to the air gamma dose rate at 1 m height above contaminated ground depends on the soil inventory, the migration processes along the soil profile and possible modifications in the spatial distribution. In this paper the diffusion-convection equation is used to approach the 137Cs soil vertical migration transport and standard dose rate factors are jointly applied for estimating the air dose rate. In order to calculate the temporal reduction of the external radiation, an empirical attenuation factor is used and its coefficients are analyzed in terms of the effective diffusion coefficient and downward migration rates. Additionally, it is analyze the corrections that should be introduced in dose rate values attributable to soil redistribution processes. If these processes, natural or as a consequence of human activities, are not taken into account, both the air dose rate values and the attenuation period can be noticeably under or overestimated.


Subject(s)
Air Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Monitoring , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Gamma Rays , Radioactive Hazard Release , Soil
6.
J Environ Radioact ; 183: 7-16, 2018 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29274798

ABSTRACT

Large-scale deforestation, intensive land use and unfavourable rainfall conditions are responsible for significant continuous degradation of the Haitian uplands. To develop soil conservation strategies, simple and cost-effective methods are needed to assess rates of soil loss from farmland in Haiti. The fallout radionuclide caesium-137 (137Cs) provides one such means of documenting medium-term soil redistribution rates. In this contribution, the authors report the first use in Haiti of 137Cs measurements to document soil redistribution rates and the associated pattern of erosion/sedimentation rates along typical hillslopes within a traditional upland Haitian farming area. The local 137Cs reference inventory, measured at an adjacent undisturbed flat area, was 670 Bq m-2 (SD = 100 Bq m-2, CV = 15%, n = 7). Within the study area, where cultivation commenced in 1992 after deforestation, three representative downslope transects were sampled. These were characterized by 137Cs inventories ranging from 190 to 2200 Bq m-2. Although, the study area was cultivated by the local farmers, the 137Cs depth distributions obtained from the area differed markedly from those expected from a cultivated area. They showed little evidence of tillage mixing within the upper part of the soil or, more particularly, of the near-uniform activities normally associated with the plough layer or cultivation horizon. They were very similar to that found at the reference site and were characterized by high 137Cs activities at the surface and much lower activities at greater depths. This situation is thought to reflect the traditional manual tillage practices which cause limited disturbance and mixing of the upper part of the soil. It precluded the use of the conversion models normally used to estimate soil redistribution rates from 137Cs measurements on cultivated soils and the Diffusion and Migration conversion model frequently used for uncultivated soils was modified for application to the cultivated soils of the study area, in order to take account of the unusual local conditions. The model was also modified to take account of the fact that cultivation in the study area commenced in 1992, rather than predating the period of weapons test fallout which extended from the mid 1950s to the 1970s. Erosion rates on the upper parts of the hillside involved in the study were found to be relatively high and ca. -23 t ha-1 y-1 with low spatial variability. In the lower, flatter areas at the bottom of the slope, deposition occurred. Deposition rates were characterized by high spatial variability, ranging from 6.0 to 71 t ha-1 y-1. Soil redistribution rates of this magnitude are a cause for concern and there is an urgent need to implement soil conservation measures to ensure the longer-term sustainability of the local agricultural practices.


Subject(s)
Agriculture/methods , Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Conservation of Natural Resources , Farms , Haiti
7.
J Environ Radioact ; 136: 131-9, 2014 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24953228

ABSTRACT

Fossil bones are often the only materials available for chronological reconstruction of important archeological sites. However, since bone is an open system for uranium, it cannot be dated directly and therefore it is necessary to develop models for the U uptake. Hence, a radial diffusion-adsorption (RDA) model is described. Unlike the classic diffusion-adsorption (D-A) model, RDA uses a cylindrical geometry to describe the U uptake in fossil bones. The model was applied across a transverse section of a tibia of an extinct megamammal Macrauchenia patachonica from the La Paz Local Fauna, Montevideo State, Uruguay. Measurements of spatial distribution of Na, K, Ca, and Mg were also performed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). Gamma-ray spectrometric U-series dating was applied to determine the age of the bone sample. From U concentration profile, it was possible to observe the occurrence of a relatively slow and continuous uranium uptake under constant conditions that had not yet reached equilibrium, since the uranium distribution is a ∪-shaped closed-system. Predictions of the RDA model were obtained for a specific geochemical scenario, indicating that the effective diffusion coefficient D/R in this fossil bone is (2.4 ± 0.6)10(-12) cm(2)s(-1). Mean values of Na, K, Ca, and Mg contents along the radial line of the fossil tibia are consistent with the expected behavior for spatial distributions of these mineral elements across a modern bone section. This result indicates that the fossil tibia may have its mineral structure preserved.


Subject(s)
Archaeology/methods , Fossils , Models, Theoretical , Paleontology/methods , Tibia/chemistry , Uranium/chemistry , Adsorption , Animals , Calcium/chemistry , Diffusion , Mammals , Metals, Light/chemistry , Neutron Activation Analysis , Spectrometry, Gamma , Uranium/analysis
8.
J Environ Radioact ; 130: 72-7, 2014 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24487256

ABSTRACT

Reliable information on environmental radionuclides atmospheric entrance, and their distribution along the soil profile, is a necessary condition for using these soil and sediment tracers to investigate key environmental processes. To address this need, (7)Be content in rainwater and the wet deposition in a semiarid region at San Luis Province, Argentina, were studied. Following these researches, in the same region, we have assessed the (7)Be content along a soil profile, during 2.5 years from September 2009 to January 2012. As expected, the specific activity values in soil samples in the wet period (November-April) were higher than in the dry period (May-October). During the investigated period (2009 - beginning 2012) and for all sampled points, the maximum value of the (7)Be specific activity (Bq kg(-1)) was measured at the surface level. A typical decreasing exponential function of (7)Be areal activity (Bq m(-2)) with soil mass depth (kg m(-2)) was found and the key distribution parameters were determined for each month. The minimum value of areal activity was 51 Bq m(-2) in August, and the maximum was 438 Bq m(-2) in February. The relaxation mass depth ranges from 2.9 kg m(-2) in March to 1.3 kg m(-2) in August. (7)Be wet deposition can explain in a very significant proportion the (7)Be inventory in soil. During the period of winds in the region (September and October), the (7)Be content in soil was greater than the expected contribution from wet deposition, situation that is compatible with a higher relative contribution of dry deposition at this period of the year.


Subject(s)
Beryllium/analysis , Radiation Monitoring , Radioisotopes/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Argentina , Spectrometry, Gamma
9.
Sci Total Environ ; 468-469: 12-8, 2014 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24012891

ABSTRACT

Radon levels in two old mines in San Luis, Argentina, were measured and analyzed, with the aim to assess the potential use of this radioactive noble gas as a tracer of geological processes in underground environments. La Carolina gold mine and Los Cóndores tungsten mine are today used as tourism mines. CR-39 nuclear track detectors were used for this purpose. Measurements were performed during both winter and summer seasons. The findings show that in these environments, significant radon concentrations are subject to large seasonal fluctuations, due to the strong dependence on natural ventilation with the outside temperature variations. For both mines, higher concentration values of (222)Rn were observed in summer than in winter; with an extreme ratio of 2.5 times between summer and winter seasons for Los Cóndores mine. The pattern of radon transport inside La Carolina mine revealed, contrary to what was believed, that this mine behaves as a system with two entrances located at different levels. However, this feature can only be observed in the winter season, when there is a marked difference between the inside and outside temperatures of the mine. In the case of Los Cóndores mine, the radon concentration pattern distribution is principally established by air current due to chimney-effect in summer and winter seasons. In both cases, the analyses of radon pattern distribution appear as a good method to trace air currents, and then localize unknown ducts, fissures or secondary tunnels in subterranean environments.


Subject(s)
Environmental Monitoring/methods , Mining , Radioactive Tracers , Radon/analysis , Air Movements , Argentina , Polyethylene Glycols , Seasons , Temperature
10.
Comput Math Methods Med ; 2013: 213794, 2013.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23573165

ABSTRACT

One of the parameters that are usually stored for mammograms is the BI-RADS density, which gives an idea of the breast tissue composition. In this work, we study the effect of BI-RADS density in our ongoing project for developing an image-based CAD system to detect masses in mammograms. This system consists of two stages. First, a blind feature extraction is performed for regions of interest (ROIs), using Independent Component Analysis (ICA). Next, in the second stage, those features form the input vectors to a classifier, neural network, or SVM classifier. To train and test our system, the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) was used. The results obtained show that the maximum variation in the performance of our system considering only prototypes obtained from mammograms with a concrete value of density (both for training and test) is about 7%, yielding the best values for density equal to 1, and the worst for density equal to 4, for both classifiers. Finally, with the overall results (i.e., using prototypes from mammograms with all the possible values of densities), we obtained a difference in performance that is only 2% lower than the maximum, also for both classifiers.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis , Mammography/methods , Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted , Algorithms , Area Under Curve , Breast/pathology , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , False Positive Reactions , Female , Humans , Models, Statistical , Neural Networks, Computer , Radiographic Image Enhancement/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Support Vector Machine
11.
Sci Total Environ ; 444: 115-20, 2013 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23268139

ABSTRACT

Concentrations of (137)Cs, K and Na in fruits of lemon (Citrus limon B.) and of K and Na in fruits of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) trees were measured by both gamma spectrometry and neutron activation analysis, with the aim to understand the behaviour of monovalent inorganic cations in tropical plants as well as the plant ability to store these elements. Similar amounts of K(+) were incorporated by lemon and coconut trees during the growth and ripening processes of its fruits. The K concentration decreased exponentially during the growth of lemons and coconuts, ranging from 13 to 25 g kg(-1) dry weight. The incorporation of Na(+) differed considerably between the plant species studied. The Na concentration increased linearly during the lemon growth period (0.04 to 0.70 g kg(-1) d.w.) and decreased exponentially during the coconut growth period (1.4 to 0.5 g kg(-1) d.w.). Even though radiocaesium is not an essential element to plants, our results have shown that (137)Cs incorporation to vegetable tissues is positively correlated to K distribution within the studied tropical plant species, suggesting that the two elements might be assimilated in a similar way, going through the biological cycle together. A mathematical model was developed from the experimental data allowing simulating the incorporation process of monovalent inorganic cations by the fruits of such tropical species. The agreement between the theoretical approach and the experimental values is satisfactory along fruit development.


Subject(s)
Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis , Citrus/chemistry , Cocos/chemistry , Fruit/chemistry , Potassium/analysis , Sodium/analysis , Brazil , Cesium Radioisotopes/pharmacokinetics , Citrus/metabolism , Cocos/metabolism , Fruit/growth & development , Fruit/metabolism , Models, Theoretical , Potassium/pharmacokinetics , Potassium Radioisotopes/analysis , Potassium Radioisotopes/pharmacokinetics , Sodium/pharmacokinetics , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/pharmacokinetics , South America , Tropical Climate
12.
Sci Total Environ ; 441: 111-6, 2012 Dec 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23137975

ABSTRACT

There are two naturally occurring radiogenic isotopes of beryllium, 7Be and ¹°Be. These are produced when cosmic radiation interacts with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere. After production, these radionuclides are input to ecosystems through wet and dry deposition. In recent years 7Be and ¹°Be have proved to be powerful tools for studying dynamic processes that occur on the surface of the earth. We measured the 7Be content in precipitation at a semiarid location in central Argentina. From November 2006 to March 2009, 68 precipitation events were collected. Measured 7Be content ranged from 0.7±0.4 Bq L⁻¹ to 3.2±0.7 Bq L⁻¹, with a mean of 1.7 Bq L⁻¹ ±0.6 Bq L⁻¹. Beryllium-7 content of rainfall did not show clear relationships with amount of rainfall (mm), mean intensity (mm h⁻¹) or duration (h⁻¹), or elapsed time between events (day). The general results indicate that for the typical range of precipitation there was no atmospheric washout and that the reload of the atmosphere is not a relevant factor, but when the amount of precipitation is very high washout may occur. On the other hand, when the 7Be content was measured during single rain events, a high content of this radionuclide was found to be associated with very low rainfall intensity (≈3 mm h⁻¹), this suggests that rain intensity could affect the 7Be content. Using all data, a good linear relationship between 7Be deposition and rain magnitude was obtained (r²=0.82, p<0.0001). Because of this, the slope of this linear regression equation may be applied as a tool for tracing environmental processes that affect the surface of the earth. We can do this by directly estimating erosion/sedimentation processes using 7Be or by estimating the input of ¹°Be in the environment with the aim to evaluate land degradation phenomena.

13.
ScientificWorldJournal ; 2012: 540457, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22654626

ABSTRACT

The presence of clustered microcalcifications is one of the earliest signs in breast cancer detection. Although there exist many studies broaching this problem, most of them are nonreproducible due to the use of proprietary image datasets. We use a known subset of the currently largest publicly available mammography database, the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM), to develop a computer-aided detection system that outperforms the current reproducible studies on the same mammogram set. This proposal is mainly based on the use of extracted image features obtained by independent component analysis, but we also study the inclusion of the patient's age as a nonimage feature which requires no human expertise. Our system achieves an average of 2.55 false positives per image at a sensitivity of 81.8% and 4.45 at a sensitivity of 91.8% in diagnosing the BCRP_CALC_1 subset of DDSM.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis , Calcinosis/diagnosis , Mammography/methods , Female , Humans , Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods , Sensitivity and Specificity
14.
J Environ Radioact ; 104: 64-70, 2012 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22115437

ABSTRACT

In this investigation we evaluate the soil uptake of (137)Cs and (40)K by tropical plants and their consequent translocation to fruits, by calculating the soil-to-fruit transfer factors defined as F(v) = [concentration of radionuclide in fruit (Bq kg(-1) dry mass)/concentration of radionuclide in soil (Bq kg(-1) dry mass in upper 20 cm)]. In order to obtain F(v) values, the accumulation of these radionuclides in fruits of lemon trees (Citrus limon B.) during the fruit growth was measured. A mathematical model was calibrated from the experimental data allowing simulating the incorporation process of these radionuclides by fruits. Although the fruit incorporates a lot more potassium than cesium, both radionuclides present similar absorption patterns during the entire growth period. F(v) ranged from 0.54 to 1.02 for (40)K and from 0.02 to 0.06 for (137)Cs. Maximum F(v) values are reached at the initial time of fruit growth and decrease as the fruit develops, being lowest at the maturation period. As a result of applying the model a decreasing exponential function is derived for F(v) as time increases. The agreement between the theoretical approach and the experimental values is satisfactory.


Subject(s)
Cesium Radioisotopes/toxicity , Citrus/radiation effects , Potassium Radioisotopes/toxicity , Radiation Monitoring , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/toxicity , Soil/chemistry , Brazil , Cesium Radioisotopes/metabolism , Citrus/growth & development , Citrus/metabolism , Models, Theoretical , Potassium Radioisotopes/metabolism , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/metabolism , Tropical Climate
15.
J Environ Radioact ; 101(2): 153-8, 2010 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19945773

ABSTRACT

Radon and gamma radiation level measurements were carried out inside the La Carolina mine, one of the oldest gold mining camps of southern South America, which is open for touristic visits nowadays. CR-39 track-etch detectors and thermoluminescent dosimeters of natural CaF(2) and LiF TLD-100 were exposed at 14 points along the mine tunnels in order to estimate the mean (222)Rn concentration and the ambient dose equivalent during the summer season (November 2008 to February 2009). The values for the (222)Rn concentration at each monitoring site ranged from 1.8+/-0.1 kBqm(-3) to 6.0+/-0.5 kBqm(-3), with a mean value of 4.8 kBqm(-3), indicating that these measurements exceed in about three times the upper action level recommended by ICRP for workplaces. The correlations between radon and gamma radiation levels inside the mine were also investigated. Effective doses due to (222)Rn and gamma rays inside the mine were determined, resulting in negligible values to tourists. Considering the effective dose to the mine tourist guides, values exceeding 20mSv of internal contribution to the effective doses can be reached, depending on the number of working hours inside the mine.


Subject(s)
Gamma Rays , Gold , Mining , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Radioactive Pollutants/analysis , Radon/analysis , Argentina , Geography , Humans , International Agencies , Polyethylene Glycols , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Protection/standards , Risk Assessment , Seasons , Thermoluminescent Dosimetry , Time Factors , Travel , Workplace
16.
J Environ Radioact ; 100(11): 977-81, 2009 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19716212

ABSTRACT

The (7)Be wet deposition has been intensively investigated in a semiarid region at San Luis Province, Argentina. From November 2006 to May 2008, the (7)Be content in rainwater was determined in 58 individual rain events, randomly comprising more than 50% of all individual precipitations at the sampling period. (7)Be activity concentration in rainwater ranged from 0.7+/-0.3 Bq l(-1) to 3.2+/-0.7 Bq l(-1), with a mean value of 1.7 Bq l(-1) (sd=0.53 Bq l(-1)). No relationship was found between (7)Be content in rainwater and (a) rainfall amount, (b) precipitation intensity and (c) elapsed time between events. (7)Be ground deposition was found to be well correlated with rainfall amount (R=0.92). For the precipitation events considered, the (7)Be depositional fluxes ranged from 1.1 to 120 Bq m(-2), with a mean value of 32.7 Bq m(-2) (sd=29.9 Bq m(-2)). The annual depositional flux was estimated at 1140+/-120 Bq m(-2)y(-1). Assuming the same monthly deposition pattern and that the (7)Be content in soil decreases only through radioactive decay, the seasonal variation of (7)Be areal activity density in soil was estimated. Results of this investigation may contribute to a valuable characterization of (7)Be input in the explored semiarid ecosystem and its potential use as tracer of environmental processes.


Subject(s)
Beryllium/analysis , Radioisotopes/analysis , Rain/chemistry , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Argentina , Ecosystem , Radiation Monitoring , Seasons
17.
J Environ Radioact ; 100(9): 733-8, 2009 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19178988

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a descriptive statistical analysis of radionuclide soil-to-plant transfer factors (Fv) for tropical and subtropical environments. These values were collected from previous databases and standard publications with the objective of contributing to the IAEA Technical Report Series: Handbook of parameter values for the prediction of radionuclide transfer to humans in terrestrial and freshwater environments. More than 2200 Fv values of different radionuclides were gathered and arranged into specific databases, detailing relevant information regarding the environments where this parameter was calculated. This study explores the dependence of Fv values to crop types, and soil properties. The wide variability and uncertainty observed in calculated Fv values were considerably reduced when the data was independently grouped into clusters containing the same radionuclide/plant group/soil type combinations. For each cluster the principal statistical quantities were determined. Using these quantities, the Fv distributions of each data set was explored. Fv probability distribution is discussed to clarify the use of this empirical parameter in radioecological and radiological assessment models.


Subject(s)
Plants/metabolism , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/metabolism , Soil/analysis , Tropical Climate , Environmental Monitoring , Models, Theoretical
18.
J Environ Radioact ; 100(9): 721-32, 2009 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19058886

ABSTRACT

There is increasing interest in radiological assessment of discharges of naturally occurring radionuclides into the terrestrial environment. Such assessments require parameter values for the pathways considered in predictive models. An important pathway for human exposure is via ingestion of food crops and animal products. One of the key parameters in environmental assessment is therefore the soil-to-plant transfer factor to food and fodder crops. The objective of this study was to compile data, based on an extensive literature survey, concerning soil-to-plant transfer factors for uranium, thorium, radium, lead, and polonium. Transfer factor estimates were presented for major crop groups (Cereals, Leafy vegetables, Non-leafy vegetables, Root crops, Tubers, Fruits, Herbs, Pastures/grasses, Fodder), and also for some compartments within crop groups. Transfer factors were also calculated per soil group, as defined by their texture and organic matter content (Sand, Loam, Clay and Organic), and evaluation of transfer factors' dependency on specific soil characteristics was performed following regression analysis. The derived estimates were compared with estimates currently in use.


Subject(s)
Lead Radioisotopes/analysis , Plants/metabolism , Polonium/analysis , Radium/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/metabolism , Thorium/analysis , Uranium/analysis , Environmental Monitoring , Lead Radioisotopes/metabolism , Polonium/metabolism , Radium/metabolism , Soil/analysis , Thorium/metabolism , Uranium/metabolism
19.
Appl Radiat Isot ; 66(11): 1759-63, 2008 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18539037

ABSTRACT

In this study, the factors that influence the variability of soil to plant radionuclide transfer factors (TF) in tropical and subtropical environments were statistically analyzed. More than 2,700 TF values were obtained from the literature, and from this four broad soil groups and 13 plant groups were investigated. Additionally, different plant compartments were distinguished. The wide variability and uncertainty observed in TF is considerably reduced when data are independently grouped into groups of plant/plant part/soil type combinations. In most plant groups Zn and Sr have the highest transfer values. TFs are lower for Cs and the lowest TFs were found for Ra, U and Pb.


Subject(s)
Environmental Exposure/analysis , Plants/metabolism , Radioisotopes/analysis , Radioisotopes/pharmacokinetics , Radiometry/methods , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/pharmacokinetics , Computer Simulation , Models, Biological , Radiation Dosage , Tropical Climate
20.
J Environ Radioact ; 73(2): 223-30, 2004.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15119326

ABSTRACT

RSP (Radioecological Software Package) is an interactive support system that simulates the behaviour of radionuclides in semi-natural environments and the consequences on the population in terms of the external exposure. RSP consists of three modules: the first one, soil mobility, simulates the vertical transport of radionuclide in soil using the mathematical model RABES. The second module, soil -to-plant transfer, simulates the radionuclide soil-to-plant transfer factor reported in the literature. Soil properties, vegetation types and environmental conditions are taken into consideration in the simulation process. In the third module, dose assessment, the dose-rate factor in air at a height of 1 m above ground can be calculated for sources distributed in a slab of finite thickness dn sources which are exponentially distributed with depth. The calculations are performed using DAGES Model, a Monte Carlo algorithm developed to simulated the photon transport for the soil/air configuration. A free copy of RSP can be downloaded from the website: http://imasl-apat.unsl.edu.ar.


Subject(s)
Environment , Models, Theoretical , Radioisotopes/analysis , Software , Air Pollutants, Radioactive/analysis , Algorithms , Monte Carlo Method , Radioisotopes/pharmacokinetics , Soil/analysis
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