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Zhou W, Wang H, Zhong Q, Shao Y, Zhou D, Yu X. Characterizing 226Ra and its daughters in coastal zone groundwater of a typical human-activity affected bay: occurrence, safety, and source evaluation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:8703-8718. [PMID: 38180669 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31784-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Due to their extremely toxic properties, 226Ra and it daughters (222Rn, 210Pb, and 210Po) in drinking groundwater require monitoring. Recent studies have reported exceptionally high levels of natural 210Po (up to 10,000 Bq/m3), 226Ra, and 222Rn isotopes in groundwater. This study aims to provide background data on 226Ra and its daughter radionuclides in the typical agricultural-industrial Dongshan Bay (DSB) before the construction of Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant (Zhangzhou NPP). The measurement results indicate that no abnormally high activities of 210Po and 210Pb were detected in the investigated wells. Strong positive correlations between 210Pb and 210Po, as well as between 222Rn and 210Pb activities, suggest that the origins of 210Pb and 210Po in groundwater are strongly influenced by the decay of the parent radionuclides 222Rn and 210Pb, respectively. In the DSB coastal zone groundwater, significant deficiencies of 210Po relative to 210Pb and 210Pb relative to 222Rn were observed, providing further evidence that 210Po and 210Pb are also effectively scavenged due to their geochemical properties (specifically particle affinity) within the groundwater-aquifer system. A systematic comparison among all relevant water bodies in the DSB revealed that the activity concentrations of 210Pb and 210Po in groundwater were the highest, except for rainwater. Based on the evaluation of 210Pb sources, the results imply that submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is an important pathway for transferring radionuclides (such as 210Pb) from land to the nearshore marine environment, even though the study area has a lower 210Pb background groundwater. By considering all the 210Pb's sources in the DSB, we found low 210Pb background groundwater discharge still needs to be taken into account for small-scale bays. This is because SGD was calculated to be one of the most important 210Pb sources in the bay during observation season. Regardless of whether the system is in a normal state or a nuclear accident emergency state, greater attention should be paid to the groundwater discharge of radionuclides into the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Zhou
- Ministry of Natural Resources, National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, 300112, China
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation Technology, Tianjin, 300112, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, 184 # DaXue Road, Siming District, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian Province, China
| | - Qiangqiang Zhong
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, 184 # DaXue Road, Siming District, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian Province, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Yi Shao
- Ministry of Natural Resources, National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, 300112, China
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation Technology, Tianjin, 300112, China
| | - Da Zhou
- Ministry of Natural Resources, National Ocean Technology Center, Tianjin, 300112, China
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation Technology, Tianjin, 300112, China
| | - Xueqing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
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Slavchev B, Tonev D, Dobrev L, Geleva E, Veleva B, Protohristov H, Goutev N, Demerdjiev A, Dimitrova D. URANIUM AND 210PO RADIONUCLIDES IN DRINKING WATER IN SOUTHERN BULGARIA AND EXPECTED RADIATION DOSES. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2022; 198:299-309. [PMID: 35368087 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncac039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The activity concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides 238U, 234U and 210Po have been determined for the first time in drinking water from certain sources in Southern Bulgaria using nuclear and radiochemical methods. The results obtained for the water samples vary in the intervals 0.6-678 mBq l-1 for 238U, 1.4-1484 mBq l-1 for 234U, <0.3-13.6 mBq l-1 for 210Po and 1.04-10.6 for the 234U/238U ratio. The annual effective dose from 238U, 234U and 210Po ranges from 1.09 to 44.1 μSv y-1, 0.78 to 46.8 μSv y-1 and 0.77 to 62.8 μSv y-1 for infants, children and adults, respectively. The annual effective dose due to consumption of drinking water is below the individual dose criterion of 100 μSv y-1 recommended by the World Health Organization. The natural radioactivity of the water sources investigated is below the national and international limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bozhidar Slavchev
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Dimitar Tonev
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Lyuben Dobrev
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Elena Geleva
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Blagorodka Veleva
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
- National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, 66, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Hristo Protohristov
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolay Goutev
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Anguel Demerdjiev
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
| | - Desislava Dimitrova
- Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72, Tsarigradsko chaussee Blvd., Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
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Simulation of alpha particle emitted by 222Rn from natural spring water in Puebla, Mexico. Appl Radiat Isot 2022; 184:110203. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2022.110203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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4
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210Po characteristic in selected thermal water sources in Northern Vietnam. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-022-08226-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThere are eight famous thermal water sources, with medium temperature, neutral pH, high ranges of TDS values located in different carbonate formations in Northern Vietnam. The chemical composition results showed the major elements present were Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, while trace amounts of rare earth elements (REE), Ag, As, Pb, Th, U were observed. The 210Po activity concentration and the annual committed effective doses for adults, children, and infants in all study areas were far less than 100 mBq L−1 and 0.1 mSv y−1, respectively. Some significant correlations between 210Po and other chemical components have been observed.
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Zhong Q, Wang X, Wang Q, Zhang F, Li L, Wang Y, Du J. 222Rn, 210Pb and 210Po in coastal zone groundwater: Activities, geochemical behaviors, consideration of seawater intrusion effect, and the potential radiation human-health risk. Appl Radiat Isot 2020; 166:109386. [PMID: 32858374 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Groundwater quality in human-influenced coastal landscapes is receiving novel attention. Radionuclides have been recognized as another important monitoring indicator in many developed countries due to the discovery of extremely high level of natural 210Po (up to 10,000 Bq/m3) and radium and radon isotopes. This study aims to evaluate the groundwater quality in the Beibu Bulf-Guangxi coast from radiological point of view. 210Po, 210Pb and 222Rn activities in 20 wells ranged from 0.24 ± 0.05 to 6.96 ± 1.62 Bq/m3, 2.17 ± 0.12 to 13.08 ± 0.74 Bq/m3 and 1500 ± 200 to 31,800 ± 900 Bq/m3, respectively. Compared with research data of other countries, groundwaters in this area have 210Po, 210Pb and 222Rn activity within low levels. The large deficiencies of 210Po and 210Pb relative to 222Rn in groundwaters implied that 210Po and 210Pb are strong particle-reactive radionuclides and they might be controlled by similar scavenging processes in groundwaters due to a good positive correlation between 210Pb and 210Po (R2 = 0.67, p < 0.01). The concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb decreased with increasing pH values and salinity, which indicated that geochemical behaviors of 210Po and 210Pb in groundwater were influenced by seawater intrusion and pH changing. Groundwater 222Rn activity concentrations decreased with increasing salinity in coastal zone, which may be caused by dilution due to seawater intrusion or intensified 222Rn escaping from well-developed pores in coastal zone. The estimated annual ingestion doses for infants, children and adults were well below the recommended reference dose level (RDL) of 0.2-0.8 mSv/a, suggesting that consumption of analyzed groundwaters is safe from radiological point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangqiang Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Xilong Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster in the Beibu Gulf, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011, China.
| | - Qiugui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Fule Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Linwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yali Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jinzhou Du
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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Szabo Z, Stackelberg PE, Cravotta CA. Occurrence and Geochemistry of Lead-210 and Polonium-210 Radionuclides in Public-Drinking-Water Supplies from Principal Aquifers of the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:7236-7249. [PMID: 32500710 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
On the basis of lifetime cancer risks, lead-210 (210Pb) and polonium-210 (210Po) ≥ 1.0 and 0.7 pCi/L (picocuries per liter), respectively, in drinking-water supplies may pose human-health concerns. 210Pb and 210Po were detected at concentrations greater than these thresholds at 3.7 and 1.5%, respectively, of filtered untreated groundwater samples from 1263 public-supply wells in 19 principal aquifers across the United States. Nationally, 72% of samples with radon-222 (222Rn) concentrations > 4000 pCi/L had 210Pb ≥ 1.0 pCi/L. 210Pb is mobilized by alpha recoil associated with the decay of 222Rn and short-lived progeny. 210Pb concentrations ≥ 1.0 pCi/L occurred most frequently where acidic groundwaters inhibited 210Pb readsorption (felsic-crystalline rocks) and where reducing alkaline conditions favored dissolution of iron-manganese- (Fe-Mn-) oxyhydroxides (which adsorb 210Pb) and formation of lead-carbonate complexes (enhancing lead (Pb) mobility). 210Po concentrations ≥ 0.7 pCi/L occurred almost exclusively in confined Coastal Plain aquifers where old (low percent-modern carbon-14) groundwaters were reducing, with high pH (>7.5) and high sodium/chloride (Na/Cl) ratios resulting from cation exchange. In high-pH environments, aqueous polonium (Po) is poorly sorbed, occurring as dihydrogen polonate (H2PoO3(aq)) or, under strongly reducing conditions, as a hydrogen-polonide anion (HPo-). Fe-Mn- and sulfate-reduction and cation-exchange processes may mobilize polonium from mineral surfaces. Po2+ occurrence in low-to-neutral-pH waters is attenuated by adsorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltan Szabo
- U.S. Geological Survey, 3450 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States
| | - Paul E Stackelberg
- U.S. Geological Survey, 425 Jordan Road, Troy, New York 12180, United States
| | - Charles A Cravotta
- U.S. Geological Survey, 215 Limekiln Road, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania 17070, United States
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Dalencourt C, Chabane MN, Tremblay-Cantin JC, Larivière D. A rapid sequential chromatographic separation of U- and Th-decay series radionuclides in water samples. Talanta 2020; 207:120282. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.120282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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8
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Hou X. Liquid scintillation counting for determination of radionuclides in environmental and nuclear application. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-6258-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ahmed MF, Alam L, Mohamed CAR, Mokhtar MB, Ta GC. Health Risk of Polonium 210 Ingestion via Drinking Water: An Experience of Malaysia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E2056. [PMID: 30241360 PMCID: PMC6210456 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The presence of toxic polonium-210 (Po-210) in the environment is due to the decay of primordial uranium-238. Meanwhile, several studies have reported elevated Po-210 radioactivity in the rivers around the world due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. However, the primary source of Po-210 in Langat River, Malaysia might be the natural weathering of granite rock along with mining, agriculture and industrial activities. Hence, this is the first study to determine the Po-210 activity in the drinking water supply chain in the Langat River Basin to simultaneously predict the human health risks of Po-210 ingestion. Therefore, water samples were collected in 2015⁻2016 from the four stages of the water supply chain to analyze by Alpha Spectrometry. Determined Po-210 activity, along with the influence of environmental parameters such as time-series rainfall, flood incidents and water flow data (2005⁻2015), was well within the maximum limit for drinking water quality standard proposed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia and World Health Organization. Moreover, the annual effective dose of Po-210 ingestion via drinking water supply chain indicates an acceptable carcinogenic risk for the populations in the Langat Basin at 95% confidence level; however, the estimated annual effective dose at the basin is higher than in many countries. Although several studies assume the carcinogenic risk of Po-210 ingestion to humans for a long time even at low activity, however, there is no significant causal study which links Po-210 ingestion via drinking water and cancer risk of the human. Since the conventional coagulation method is unable to remove Po-210 entirely from the treated water, introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the basin can be useful to achieve SDG target 6.1 of achieving safe drinking water supplies well before 2030, which might also be significant for other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhaz Farid Ahmed
- Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Lubna Alam
- Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Che Abd Rahim Mohamed
- School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Mazlin Bin Mokhtar
- Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Goh Choo Ta
- Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia.
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10
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Girault F, Perrier F, Przylibski TA. Radon-222 and radium-226 occurrence in water: a review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1144/sp451.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractA total of 2143 dissolved radon-222 and radium-226 activity concentrations measured together in water samples was compiled from the literature. To date, the use of such a large database is the first attempt to establish a relationship for the 226Ra–222Rn couple. Over the whole dataset, radon and radium concentrations range over more than nine and six orders of magnitude, respectively. Geometric means yield 9.82±0.73 Bq l−1 for radon and 54.6±2.7 mBq l−1 for radium. Only a few waters are in 226Ra–222Rn radioactive equilibrium, with most of them being far from equilibrium; the geometric mean of the radium concentration in water/radon concentration in water (CRa/CRn) ratio is estimated to be 0.0056±0.0004. Significant differences in radon and radium concentrations are observed between groundwaters and surface waters, on the one hand, and between hot springs and cold springs, on the other. Within water types, typical ranges of radon and radium concentrations can be associated with subgroups of waters. While the radium concentration characterizes the geochemistry of the groundwater–rock interaction, the radon concentration, in most cases, is a signal of non-mobile radium embedded in the encasing rocks. Thus, the 226Ra–222Rn couple can be a useful tool for the characterization of water and for the identification of water source rocks, shedding light on the various water–rock interaction processes taking place in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Girault
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Perrier
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Tadeusz A. Przylibski
- Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Division of Geology and Mineral Waters, Wrocław University of Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
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11
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Seiler R. (210)Po in drinking water, its potential health effects, and inadequacy of the gross alpha activity MCL. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 568:1010-1017. [PMID: 27369089 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Polonium-210 ((210)Po) is a naturally-occurring, carcinogenic member of the (238)U decay series and the granddaughter of (210)Pb. It has a half life of 138.4days and is rarely found in drinking water at levels exceeding 5mBq/L because it strongly binds to aquifer sediment. When the current US Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) covering (210)Po was promulgated in December 2000, very little was known about its occurrence and the processes responsible for mobilizing it. More is now known about the processes that mobilize (210)Po from sediments and a review of recent occurrence data show that it may not be as rare in the US as the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) thought in 2000. Worldwide, only about 2200 analyses for (210)Po in drinking water were identified, with activities exceeding 500mBq/L being found only in Finland, India, Sweden, and the US. The median of 400 (210)Po analyses from the US is 4.75mBq/L and >10% of the samples exceed 500mBq/L. Current compliance-monitoring regulations in the US essentially guarantee that (210)Po contamination will not be detected except in very contaminated wells. Major problems with the US Gross Alpha Activity MCL include the volatility of (210)Po and extended holding times and sample-compositing methods that can allow the majority of (210)Po in a sample bottle to decay before analysis. In light of new information, the radionuclide rule should be changed and direct measurements of (210)Po should be made in all public-water supply wells to rule out its presence. Much of the important biological and toxicological research on (210)Po is more than four decades old and new laboratory research using modern tools is needed. Biological and epidemiological investigations of known contaminated areas are needed to assess the effect (210)Po exposure is having on animals and humans consuming the water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Seiler
- Retired United States Geological Survey, PO Box 1025, Carson City, NV 89702, USA.
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12
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Seiler RL, Wiemels JL. Occurrence of ²¹⁰Po and biological effects of low-level exposure: the need for research. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2012; 120:1230-7. [PMID: 22538346 PMCID: PMC3440115 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1104607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 04/26/2012] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) concentrations that exceed 1 Bq/L in drinking-water supplies have been reported from four widely separated U.S. states where exposure to it went unnoticed for decades. The radionuclide grandparents of ²¹⁰Po are common in sediments, and segments of the public may be chronically exposed to low levels of ²¹⁰Po in drinking water or in food products from animals raised in contaminated areas. OBJECTIVES We summarized information on the environmental behavior, biokinetics, and toxicology of ²¹⁰Po and identified the need for future research. METHODS Potential linkages between environmental exposure to ²¹⁰Po and human health effects were identified in a literature review. DISCUSSION ²¹⁰Po accumulates in the ovaries where it kills primary oocytes at low doses. Because of its radiosensitivity and tendency to concentrate ²¹⁰Po, the ovary may be the critical organ in determining the lowest injurious dose for ²¹⁰Po. ²¹⁰Po also accumulates in the yolk sac of the embryo and in the fetal and placental tissues. Low-level exposure to ²¹⁰Po may have subtle, long-term biological effects because of its tropism towards reproductive and embryonic and fetal tissues where exposure to a single alpha particle may kill or damage critical cells. ²¹⁰Po is present in cigarettes and maternal smoking has several effects that appear consistent with the toxicology of ²¹⁰Po. CONCLUSIONS Much of the important biological and toxicological research on ²¹⁰Po is more than four decades old. New research is needed to evaluate environmental exposure to ²¹⁰Po and the biological effects of low-dose exposure to it so that public health officials can develop appropriate mitigation measures where necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph L Seiler
- Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, University of Nevada-Reno, P.O. Box 1025, Carson City, NV 89702, USA.
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13
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Abstract
Polonium-210 ((210) Po) is a highly toxic alpha emitter that is rarely found in groundwater at activities exceeding 1 pCi/L. (210) Po activities in 63 domestic and public-supply wells in Lahontan Valley in Churchill County in northern Nevada, United States, ranged from 0.01 ± 0.005 to 178 ± 16 pCi/L with a median activity of 2.88 pCi/L. Wells with high (210) Po activities had low dissolved oxygen concentrations (less than 0.1 mg/L) and commonly had pH greater than 9. Lead-210 activities are low and aqueous (210) Po is unsupported by (210) Pb, indicating that the (210) Po is mobilized from aquifer sediments. The only significant contributors to alpha particle activity in Lahontan Valley groundwater are (234/238) U, (222) Rn, and (210) Po. Radon-222 activities were below 1000 pCi/L and were uncorrelated with (210) Po activity. The only applicable drinking water standard for (210) Po in the United States is the adjusted gross alpha radioactivity (GAR) standard of 15 pCi/L. (210) Po was not volatile in a Nevada well, but volatile (210) Po has been reported in a Florida well. Additional information on the volatility of (210) Po is needed because GAR is an inappropriate method to screen for volatile radionuclides. About 25% of the samples had (210) Po activities that exceed the level associated with a lifetime total cancer risk of 1× 10(-4) (1.1 pCi/L) without exceeding the GAR standard. In cases where the 72-h GAR exceeds the uranium activity by more than 5 to 10 pCi/L, an analysis to rule out the presence of (210) Po may be justified to protect human health even though the maximum contaminant level for adjusted GAR is not exceeded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph L Seiler
- U.S. Geological Survey, 2730 N Deer Run Road, Carson City, NV 89701, USA.
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Vasile M, Benedik L, Altzitzoglou T, Spasova Y, Wätjen U, González de Orduña R, Hult M, Beyermann M, Mihalcea I. 226Ra and 228Ra determination in mineral waters—Comparison of methods. Appl Radiat Isot 2010; 68:1236-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2009.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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15
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Determination of the gross radioactivity in drinking water of Kahramanmaras, Turkey. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-010-0559-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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16
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Bhade SPD, Reddy PJ, Narayanan A, Narayan KK, Babu DAR, Sharma DN. Standardization of calibration procedures for quantification of gross alpha and gross beta activities using liquid scintillation counter. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-010-0522-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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