Evaluation of the radiological quality of water released by a uranium mining in Brazil
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Evaluation of the radiological quality of water released by a uranium mining in Brazil Wagner de Souza Pereira 1,2 & Alphonse Kelecom 3 & Jose Marques Lopes 4,5 Delcy de Azevedo Py Júnior 1 & Ademir Xavier da Silva 2
&
Alessander Sá do Carmo 2 &
Received: 25 June 2019 / Accepted: 9 June 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract A mine in an area of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), characterized by acid mine drainage, generates effluents with natural radionuclide concentrations, usually above the limits authorized by the regulator. The plant exploiting NORM controls the water quality and discharges it into the aquatic environment after meeting technical requirements. Downstream, water usage is unrestricted. In order to reach activity concentrations in the released effluents below the authorized values, the facility applies a chemical treatment to the effluent. Then, to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment, the facility performs sampling of treated effluent and determines the activity concentration of natural radionuclides (Unat, 226Ra, and 210Pb from the uranium series and 232Th and 228Ra from the thorium series). In the current study, the proportion and distribution of these radionuclides between the soluble and particulate fractions were determined. The measured activity concentrations were compared with the values proposed by the World Health Organization and Brazilian legislation, as well as other authorities, as regards the potable use from the radioprotection point of view. It was observed that the radionuclides are not in secular equilibrium. The fractions contribute differently to the total release of radionuclide, and there is no linear relationship between the fractions. The average activity concentrations did not result in radiological restrictions to water use, and the committed effective dose due to ingestion was estimated at 0.06 mSv y−1. Therefore, there is no radiological restriction to water use, since the dose which was found was below the constraint value for the public. Keywords Uranium mining . Effluent . Environmental radioprotection . Acid mine drainage
Introduction Brazil possesses many high background areas considered as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) areas. One Responsible editor: Georg Steinhauser * Wagner de Souza Pereira [email protected] 1
Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil—INB, Rodovia. Presidente Dutra Km 330, Engenheiro Passos, Resende, RJ 27555-000, Brazil
2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro—UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 21941-972, Brazil
3
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense—UFF, Niterói, RJ 24001-970, Brazil
4
Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal da Bahia—UFBA, Salvador 40170-290, Brazil
5
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geoquímica, Universidade Federal da Bahia—UFBA, Salvador 40170-290, Brazil
of these is situated in the area of Caldas, in the State of Minas Gerais. UTM (initials in Portuguese for Ore Treatment Unit), a uranium mining and milling plant, was act
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