The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 11 No 1 (2007): 314 – 323

 

 

GAMMA HAZARDS AND RISK ASSOCIATED WITH NORM IN SEDIMENT FROM AMANG PROCESSING RECYCLING PONDS

 

Nasirian Mohsen¹ , Ismail Bahari, Pauzi¹ Abdullah, Azizah Jaafar²

 

¹Faculty of Science and Technology,

²Faculty of Information Science & Technology,

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Abstract

Amang processing is an important down stream activity of tin mining noted for technologically enhan cing naturally occurring radioactive materials. A study was carried out to determine the  gamma radiation hazards associated with amang  processing  with  special  reference  to  the  sediment  accumulated  in  amang  processing  ponds.  Twenty  eight sediment samples from two amang processing plants employing the recycling close water management system were collected and analysed. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in sediments were measured using gamma spectrometry analysis, with a Hyper Pure Ge-Li detector coupled to a Multi Channel Analyzer detector system. The range of mean activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were between 40.94  – 189.58 Bq kg^-1, 104.90 – 516.17 Bq kg^-1 and 74.8-848.0 Bq/kg respectively. The maximum activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K recorded were higher than Malaysia’s  average and the world’s natural  highest. Gamma  Radiation Representative  Level Index,  I_γr associated with these levels of activity concentrations of radionuclides in sediments,  warrants an immediate attention from the regulatory authorities. The contribution of amang processing and the use of recycling close water management system in enhancing potential environmental radiological risk are discussed.

 

Keywords: NORM, tin tailing, amang, sediment, gamma spectrometry, radiological risk.

 

References

1.         Ismail B., Othman M.& Soog H.F. 2000. Effect of tin dredging on the environmental concentration of    Arsenic, Chromium and Radium-226 in soil and water. J. Sains Nuclear Malaysia. 18(1) 107-116.

2.         B. Ismail, Y. Redzuwan, R.S. Chua, W. Shafiee. 2001. Radiological impact of the amang processing industry on neighboring residents. Applied Radiation And Isotopes. 54. p. 393-397 .

3.         Azlina M. J., Ismail B., Muhamad -Samudi Y, Taiman K. 2001. Work activity, radiation  dosimeters and external dose measurement in amang processing plant . J. Sains Nuclear Malaysia. 19(1&2). p. 31 -39.

4.         A. M. Yusof, M. N. Mahat, N. Omar, A. K. H. wood. 2001. Water quality studies in an aquatic environment of disused tin mining pools and in drinking water. Ecological Engineering. 16, issue 3. p. 405-414.

5.         Muhamat Omar. 2000. International conference on the safety radioactive waste management. Cordoba Spain, IAEA - CN-78. p. 89-92.

6.         M. Kohler,  W. Preube,  B. Gleisberg,  I. Schafer,  T. Heinrich,  B. Knobus.  2002. Comparison  of methods  for the analysis of 226Ra in water samples. Applied Radiation And Isotopes. 56. p. 387-392.

7.         www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/water/radium.pdf

8.         eretka  J.,  Mathew  P.J.  1985.  Natural  radioactivity  of  Australian  building  materials.  industrial  wastes  and byproducts. Health Physics. 48. p. 87-95.

9.         Chowdhury M.I., Alam M.N., Hazari S.K.S. 1999. Distribution of radionuclides in the river sediments and coastal soils of Chittagaong Bangladesh and evaluation of the radiation hazard. Applied Radiation And Isotopes 51.p. 747 - 755.

10.      Mohsen Nasirian, Ismail Bahari, Pauzi Abdullah. Assessment of natural radioactivity in water and sediment from amang (tin tailing) processing pounds. 2005. Proceeding of the 18 th   Malaysian Analytical Chemistry Symposium SKAM-18. UTM, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. p. 293 -304

11.      Ismail B., Mokhtar M. B., Tan B. H. 1999. Impact of amang processing on the water quality of an immediate water body: A case of a recycling water system. Sci. Int. 11(1). p. 1 -4.

12.      Ismail Bahari, Redzuwan Yahaya, Muhamad-Samudi Yasir, Amran Ab. Majid, Lin cheng Lee. 2003. The impact of open water management system in amang processing on the water quality and 238U and 232Th activity concentration in sediment and water. J. Of Biological Science 3 (11). p. 1063-1069 .

13.      Redzuwan  Y.,  Ismail  B.,  Amran,  A.  M.,  Muhammad-Samudi,  Y.,  &  Lin,  C. L. 2002.  The  impact  of amang processing activity on the water quality and sediment  of an open water  system. Proceeding  of 15 th    Analytical chemistry symposium. Penang  Malaysia. p . 11-15.

14.      A. Martin Sanchez, F. Vera Tome, R. M. Orantos Quintana, V. Gomes Escobar, M. Jurado Vargas. 1995. Gamma and  alpha  spectrometry   for  natural   radioactive   nuclides   in  the  Spa   waters   of  Extramadua-Spain.  J.  Of Environmental Radioactivity. 28 (2). p. 209-220.

15.      Ibeanu I.G.E. 2002. Tin mining and processing in Nigeria: case for concern. J Of  Environmental  Radioactivity. 65(1). p. 59-66.

16.      I. Bikit, J. Slivka, Lj. Conkic, M. Krmar, M. Veskovic, N. Zikic-Todorovic, E. Varga, S. Curcic, D. Mrdja. 2005. Radioactivity  of  the  soil  in  Vojvodina  (Northern  Province  of  Serbia  and  Montenegro).  J.  Of  Environmental Radioactivity. 78. p. 11-19.

17.      UNSCEAR. 1989. United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation. Report to the General assembly with Annexes. New York. United Nations. (online) www.unscear.org

18.      B.  Ismail,  M.  S.  Yasir,  Y.  Redzuwan,  A.  M.  Amran.  2003.  Radiological  environmental  risk  associated  with different water management system in amang processing in Malaysia. Pakistan journal of biological science 6 (17). p.1544 -1574.

19.      Bondietti. 1974. Adsorption of U4+  and Th4+  by soil colloids. Agron. Abstr.

20.      Firyal Bou-Rabee. 1996. Soil radioactivity atlas of Kuwait. Environmental International. 23, No.1. p. 5-15.

21.      NEA -OECD. 1979. Nuclear Energy Agency. Exposure to radiation from natural radioactivity in building materials. Report by NEA Group of Experts, OECD. Paris.

 

22.      UNSCEAR. 1988. United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation. Report to the General assembly with Annexes. New York. United Nations. (online) www.unscear.org.

23.      Ziqiang  P.,  Yin  Y.,  Mingqiang  G.  1988.  National  radiation  and  radioactivity  in  China.  Radiation  Protection Dosimeter. 24(1/4). P. 29-38.