Natural radionuclide concentrations in processed materials from Thai mineral industries

The naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) distributed in products, by-products and waste produced from Thai mineral industries were investigated. Samples were analysed for radioactivity concentrations of two principal NORM isotopes: (226)Ra and (228)Ra. The enrichment of NORM was found t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Radiation protection dosimetry 2012-11, Vol.152 (1-3), p.71-75
Main Authors: Chanyotha, S, Kranrod, C, Chankow, N, Kritsananuwat, R, Sriploy, P, Pangza, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Calcium Sulfate - analysis
Calibration
Fertilizers
Geography
Humans
Industrial Waste
Industry
Metals - analysis
Minerals - analysis
Phosphates
Phosphorus - analysis
Radiation Monitoring - methods
Radioactive Pollutants - analysis
Radioactive Waste - analysis
Radioisotopes - analysis
Radium - analysis
Soil Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis
Tantalum - analysis
Thailand
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Summary:The naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) distributed in products, by-products and waste produced from Thai mineral industries were investigated. Samples were analysed for radioactivity concentrations of two principal NORM isotopes: (226)Ra and (228)Ra. The enrichment of NORM was found to occur during the treatment process of some minerals. The highest activity of (226)Ra (7 × 10(7) Bq kg(-1)) was in the scale from tantalum processing. The radium concentration in the discarded by-product material from metal ore dressing was also enriched by 3-10 times. Phosphogypsum, a waste produced from the production of phosphate fertilisers, contained 700 times the level of (226)Ra concentration found in phosphate ore. Hence, these residues were also sources of exposure to workers and the public, which needed to be controlled.
ISSN:0144-8420
1742-3406
DOI:10.1093/rpd/ncs185