An Assessment of Radiological Hazards from Gold Mine Tailings in the Province of Gauteng in South Africa

被引：50
|
作者：
Kamunda, Caspah [1 ]
Mathuthu, Manny [1 ]
Madhuku, Morgan [2 ]
机构：
[1] North West Univ Mafikeng, Ctr Appl Radiat Sci & Tehnol, P Bag X2046, ZA-2735 Mmabatho, South Africa
[2] Natl Res Fdn, iThemba LABS, Private Bag X11, ZA-2050 Johannesburg, South Africa
来源：
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH | 2016年 / 13卷 / 01期
关键词：
radiological hazard; radionuclide; gold mine tailing; gamma spectroscopy; activity concentration;
D O I：
10.3390/ijerph13010138
中图分类号：
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号：
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要：
Radiological hazards associated with exposure to Naturally Occurring Radionuclides Materials from gold mine tailings in the province of Gauteng in South Africa were evaluated. A comparison was made with soil samples from a control area. In this study, gamma spectroscopy was used to measure the activity concentrations of these radionuclides in 56 soil samples from the mine tailings and 10 soil samples from the control area. The average activity concentrations in Bq.kg(-1) for Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 from the mine tailings were found to be 785.3 +/- 13.7, 43.9 +/- 1.0 and 427.0 +/- 13.1, respectively. On the other hand, the average activity concentrations in Bq.kg(-1) for Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 from the control area were found to be 17.0.1 +/- 0.4, 22.2 +/- 0.5 and 496.8 +/- 15.2, respectively. Radiological hazard parameters calculated from these activity concentrations were higher than recommended safe limits. In particular, calculated average values for the external hazard (H-ex) and the internal hazard (H-in) from the mine tailings were found to be 2.4 and 4.5. Both these values were higher than unity, posing a significant health risk to the population in the area.
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页数：10
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