RADIONUCLIDE ACTIVITIES IN HIGH RISK RADIATION WORKERS IN SELECTED LOCATIONS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL IRAQ

 

RADIONUCLIDE ACTIVITIES IN HIGH RISK RADIATION WORKERS IN SELECTED LOCATIONS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL IRAQ

 

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the present work was to measure the uranium concentration in urine taken from workers using Fission Track Analysis (FTA) technique, analysing the specific activities of radionuclides analysis in soil using high purity germanium (HPGe) detector, and determining radon concentration in air using Nuclear Track Detectors (NTDs) LR-115 type II, and alphaguard water borne radon detector were used to determine radon concentration in water samples. Air, water and soil samples were taken from factories and hospitals in selected regions of Iraq after the 2003. The results shown the higher uranium concentrations were 3.39±0.43 μg/L for urine samples of workers from the Phosphate factory and the minimum 1.31±0.24 μg/L for X-ray workers in hospitals.

The uranium concentration in the urine samples increases with number of working years. The uranium concentration in urine samples of male, sick, addicted and smoking workers are higher than female, healthy, non addicted and non smoking workers, respectively. Soil samples from the Phosphate factory have the maximum values of Raeq, Hin, Hex, ADRA, and annual effective dose indoor and outdoor (744.71 Bq/kg, 4.07, 2.06, 353.39 nGy/h, 1.734 and 0.433, respectively) compared with other factories and hospitals. The radon concentration in water samples of factories and hospitals were varied from 5.29 Bq/m3 to 19.5 Bq/m3. Highest radon concentrations were observed in the Phosphate factory, Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) in Iraq and Nuclear Medicine Department, with values more than 15 Bq/m3, while the lowest absorbed in the Glasses factory samples, with values less than 6 Bq/m3.

The highest radon concentrations in air samples were 125.10 Bq/m3 from Phosphate factories, and the minimum concentrations 36.36 Bq/m3 from the North Fertilizer Plant, the average radon concentration in samples from phosphate factories (highest), Computed Tomography Scanning unit (CTS), MST, Nuclear Medicine Department and X-ray unit is (a factor of 2.59, 2.29, 2.24, 1.9 and 1.75, respectively) higher than from ceramic factory (lowest). The radon induced lung cancer risk ranges from 15.56 to 53.56 per million persons, with an average of about 28.49 per million persons. The importance of the present work focus on a diverse collection of samples with measurements implemented by using different techniques in medical physics. The results obtained from the present study may contribute in establishing a general medical data base necessary to give answer to the aim of this work for the environment of interest or other similar cases.

 

 

KEAKTIFAN RADIONUKLID PADA PEKERJA SINARAN BERISIKO TINGGI DI BEBERAPA LOKASI TERPILIH DI IRAQ UTARA DAN TENGAH

 

ABSTRAK

 

 

Kajian ini bertujuan mengukur kepekatan uranium dalam urin pekerja yang terlibat dengan teknik Analisis Runut Belahan (Fission Track Analysis, FTA); serta menganalisis keaktifan khusus daripada analisis radionuklid dalam tanah dengan menggunakan pengesan germanium ketulenan tinggi (HPGe), menentukan kepekatan radon dalam udara menggunakan Pengesan Runut Nuklear (NTDs) LR-115 jenis II, dan menggunakan pengesan radon bawaan air alphaguard untuk menentukan kepekatan radon dalam sampel air. Sampel tersebut diambil daripada beberapa kilang dan hospital di wilayah terpilih di Iraq selepas 2003. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa kepekatan uranium tertinggi adalah 3.39 ± 0.43 μg/L untuk sampel urin bagi pekerja kilang fosfat dan kepekatan minimum 1.31 ± 0.24 μg/L bagi pekerja sinar-X.

Kepekatan uranium dalam sampel urin pekerja bertambah dengan jumlah tahun bekerja. Kepekatan uranium dalam sampel urin (pekejja lelaki, sakit, ketagihan dan merokok) adalah lebih tinggi daripada pekerja perempuan, sihat, tidak ketagih dan tidak merokok masing-masing. Sampel tanah daripado, kilang fosfat mempunyai nilai maksimun Raeq, Hin, Hex, ADRA dan dos berkesan tahunan dalaman dan luaran (744.71 Bq/kg, 4.07, 2.06, 353.39 nGy/h, 1.734 dan 0.433 masing-masing) dibandingkan dengan kilang dan hospital lain. Kepekatan radon dalam sampel air daripada kilang dan hospital didapati berubah-ubah daripada 5.29 Bq/m3 hingga 19.5 Bq/m3. Kepekatan radon tertinggi diperhatikan di kilang fosfat, Kementerian Sains dan Teknologe (MST) di Iraq dan Japatan Perubatan Nuklear, dengan nilai melebihi 15 Bq/m3. Sementara itu, nilai terendah dicerap pada sampel adalah dari kilang kaca, dengan nilai kurang daripada 6 Bq/m3.

Kepekatan radon tertinggi dalam sampel udara adalah 125.10 Bq/m3 daripada kilang fosfat, dan kepekatan minimum adalah 36.36 Bq/m3 daripada North Fertilizer Plant. Purata kepekatan radon dalam sampel daripada kilang fosfat (tertinggi), Unit Pengimbasan Tomografi Berkomputer (CTS), MST, Jabatan Perubatan Nuklear dan Unit sinar-X adalah (faktor daripada 2.59, 2.29, 2.24, 1.9 dan 1.75 masing-masing) lebih tinggi daripada kilang seramik (terendah). Risiko kanser paru-paru teraruh radon diukur berjulat 15.56 hingga 53.56 per juta monusio dengan purata lebih kurang 28.49 per juta manusia. Kepentingan kajian ini memfokuskan kepada kepelbagaian perolehan sampel dengan pengukuran menggunokan teknik berlainan dalam fizik perubatan. Dapatan daripada kajian ini boleh menyumbang ke arah mengujudkan pangkalan data perubatan umum diperlukan bagi memberikan jawapan kepada tujuan kajian ini untuk kepentingan kesekitaran atau kes yaug sama.