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Ding C, Yang Q, Zhao X, Xu L, Tang H, Liu Z, Zhai J, Zhang Q. A review of 210Pb and 210Po in moss. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2024; 276:107448. [PMID: 38749215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2024.107448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Among environment contaminants, 210Pb and 210Po have gained significant research attention due to their radioactive toxicity. Moss, with its exceptional adsorption capability for these radionuclides, serves as an indicator for environmental 210Pb and 210Po pollution. The paper reviews a total of 138 articles, summarizing the common methods and analytical results of 210Pb and 210Po research in moss. It elucidates the accumulation characteristics of 210Pb and 210Po in moss, discusses current research challenges, potential solutions, and future prospects in this field. Existing literature indicates limitations in common measurement techniques for 210Pb and 210Po in moss, characterized by high detection limits or lengthy sample processing. The concentration of 210Pb and 210Po within moss display substantial variations across different regions worldwide, ranging from
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlu Ding
- College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Qiang Yang
- College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China; Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China.
| | - Xue Zhao
- Chongqing Radiation Environment Supervision and Management Station, Chongqing, 400015, PR China
| | - Lipeng Xu
- Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
| | - Hui Tang
- College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China; Sichuan Management and Monitoring Center Station of Radioactive Environment, Chengdu, 611139, PR China
| | - Zhengshang Liu
- College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Juan Zhai
- College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Qingxian Zhang
- College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China
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Lee H, Hanson HA, Logan J, Maguire D, Kapadia A, Dewji S, Agasthya G. Evaluating county-level lung cancer incidence from environmental radiation exposure, PM 2.5, and other exposures with regression and machine learning models. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:82. [PMID: 38367080 PMCID: PMC10874317 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01820-4] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Characterizing the interplay between exposures shaping the human exposome is vital for uncovering the etiology of complex diseases. For example, cancer risk is modified by a range of multifactorial external environmental exposures. Environmental, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors all shape lung cancer risk. However, epidemiological studies of radon aimed at identifying populations at high risk for lung cancer often fail to consider multiple exposures simultaneously. For example, moderating factors, such as PM2.5, may affect the transport of radon progeny to lung tissue. This ecological analysis leveraged a population-level dataset from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results data (2013-17) to simultaneously investigate the effect of multiple sources of low-dose radiation (gross [Formula: see text] activity and indoor radon) and PM2.5 on lung cancer incidence rates in the USA. County-level factors (environmental, sociodemographic, lifestyle) were controlled for, and Poisson regression and random forest models were used to assess the association between radon exposure and lung and bronchus cancer incidence rates. Tree-based machine learning (ML) method perform better than traditional regression: Poisson regression: 6.29/7.13 (mean absolute percentage error, MAPE), 12.70/12.77 (root mean square error, RMSE); Poisson random forest regression: 1.22/1.16 (MAPE), 8.01/8.15 (RMSE). The effect of PM2.5 increased with the concentration of environmental radon, thereby confirming findings from previous studies that investigated the possible synergistic effect of radon and PM2.5 on health outcomes. In summary, the results demonstrated (1) a need to consider multiple environmental exposures when assessing radon exposure's association with lung cancer risk, thereby highlighting (1) the importance of an exposomics framework and (2) that employing ML models may capture the complex interplay between environmental exposures and health, as in the case of indoor radon exposure and lung cancer incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heechan Lee
- Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics Programs, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 770 State Street, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Advanced Computing for Health Sciences Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Heidi A Hanson
- Advanced Computing for Health Sciences Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Jeremy Logan
- Data Engineering Group, Data and AI Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Dakotah Maguire
- Advanced Computing for Health Sciences Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Anuj Kapadia
- Advanced Computing for Health Sciences Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Shaheen Dewji
- Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics Programs, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 770 State Street, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Greeshma Agasthya
- Advanced Computing for Health Sciences Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
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Ayan E, Sezer N, Sıkdokur E, Kılıç Ö, Belivermiş M. Assessment of Be-7, Pb-210 and Po-210 Activities in Airborne Particulate Matter Over Istanbul, Türkiye. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2024; 112:31. [PMID: 38291262 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-024-03859-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Airborne particulate matter is one of the air pollutants which can have detrimental health effects in the human body. Radionuclides adsorb onto air particles and make their way to humans primarily through inhalation. Naturally-occurring radionuclides, 210Pb and 210Po, are of notable health concern due to their relatively elevated ingestion and inhalation doses. In the current study, activity concentrations of 7Be, 210Pb and 210Po were determined in air particulate matter (PM). PM2.5 was collected on the European side, while PM10 was collected on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Be-7, 210Pb and 210Po activities were found to be 5.17 ± 2.35, 0.96 ± 0.42; 0.25 ± 0.14 mBq m- 3 in Anatolian side, respectively. Be-7, 210Pb and 210Po activities were found to be 3.81 ± 2.27, 0.62 ± 0.29, 0.29 ± 0.26, mBq m- 3 in European side, respectively. The ratio of 210Po/210Pb was found to be higher (0.47 ± 0.31 for PM2.5 and 0.34 ± 0.27 for PM10) than the global average of 0.1. This result can be explained by the fact that Po is more volatile than Pb and enhanced in the air by the combustion process. Inhalation dose rates of 210Pb and 210Po due to PM10 exposure were calculated to be 7.70 ± 3.30 and 4.05 ± 2.31 µSv year- 1, respectively. Pb-210 bioaccessibility was assessed by the extraction of the particles in simulated lung fluids. Approximately 24.8% of inhaled 210Pb was estimated to be bioaccessible. This study suggests that 210Po and 210Pb activities are partially enhanced in the air particles in Istanbul and should be regularly monitored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esin Ayan
- Institute of Graduate Studies in Sciences, Istanbul University, Suleymaniye, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Narin Sezer
- Medical Services and Techniques Department, Medical Laboratory Techniques Program, Istanbul Arel University, 34295, Sefaköy, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ercan Sıkdokur
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Istanbul, 34450, Türkiye
| | - Önder Kılıç
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Vezneciler, Istanbul, 34134, Türkiye
| | - Murat Belivermiş
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Vezneciler, Istanbul, 34134, Türkiye.
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Popic JM, Urso L, Michalik B. Assessing the exposure situations with naturally occurring radioactive materials across European countries by means of the e-NORM survey. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167065. [PMID: 37714339 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite the EU states being under the umbrella of the European Directive 2013/59/Euratom, a certain degree of heterogeneity may be noticed in the implementation of EU recommendations concerning regulation and handling of NORM into national legislation and practice. This is mainly a result of the still existing incomplete international knowledge about different phenomena related to NORM. Therefore, the attempt to advance the understanding of the behaviour and exposure of NORM is at the core of the European RadoNorm project. Within this context, an international survey on NORM has been prepared. The goals of the survey were to gather information and data from European countries that will contribute making an updated and/or new (a) systematic overview of NORM exposure situations and their analysis with respect to different radiation protection aspects, (b) knowledge about applied radioecological models in a variety of NORM exposure situations to improve evaluation of possible exposure doses and risk for population and workers, as well as of environmental risk, and (c) overview of overall mitigation measures applied in NORM involving industries, and possible remediation activities applied at NORM affected legacy sites. The survey is built upon an extended list of NORM-involving industries and processes, covers general aspects of NORM, presence of multi-stressors, as well as practical procedures applied in management and regulation, also in the context of a circular economy. The survey responses were obtained from 19 countries. An analysis of survey responses proved that NORM control is still a complex issue for many countries, and the recently-introduced regulatory solutions require further interpretation for developing procedures and good practices. The present work provides a detailed analysis of the survey responses with respect to regulation, management and investigation of NORM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Mrdakovic Popic
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Grini Næringspark 13, 1861 Østerås, Norway.
| | - Laura Urso
- German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Boguslaw Michalik
- Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Central Mining Institute (GIG), Plac Gwarków 1, 4-166 Katowice, Poland
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Zhou L, Wang R, Ren H, Wang P, Cao Y. Detection of Polonium-210 in Environmental, Biological and Food Samples: A Review. Molecules 2023; 28:6268. [PMID: 37687097 PMCID: PMC10488615 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ingestion of polonium-210 from environmental media and food can cause serious health hazards (e.g., gastrointestinal symptoms, tumours, etc.) and has been a public health concern worldwide since the 2006 poisoning of Agent Litvinenko 210Po in Russia. With the development of uranium mining and applications of nuclear technology in recent decades, the radioactive hazards posed by 210Po to living organisms and the environment have become increasingly prominent. In order to strengthen the monitoring of environmental 210Po and protect both the environment and human health, a series of explorations on the methods of 210Po determination have been ongoing by researchers across the globe. However, previous reviews have focused on individual sample types and have not provided a comprehensive account of environmental, food, and biological samples that are closely related to human health. In this work, the sources, health hazards, chemical purification, and detection methods of trace 210Po in different sample types are systematically reviewed. In particular, the advantages and disadvantages of various pretreatment methods are compared, and relevant domestic and international standards are integrated, which puts forward a new direction for the subsequent establishment of rapid, simple, and efficient measurement methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhou
- Department of Occupational Health and Radiation Protection, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China; (L.Z.); (R.W.); (H.R.); (P.W.)
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Occupational Health and Radiation Protection, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China; (L.Z.); (R.W.); (H.R.); (P.W.)
- School of Public Health, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Department of Occupational Health and Radiation Protection, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China; (L.Z.); (R.W.); (H.R.); (P.W.)
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Occupational Health and Radiation Protection, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China; (L.Z.); (R.W.); (H.R.); (P.W.)
| | - Yiyao Cao
- Department of Occupational Health and Radiation Protection, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China; (L.Z.); (R.W.); (H.R.); (P.W.)
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Mrdakovic Popic J, Haanes H, Di Carlo C, Nuccetelli C, Venoso G, Leonardi F, Trevisi R, Trotti F, Ugolini R, Dvorzhak A, Escribano A, Perez Sanchez D, Real A, Michalik B, Pannecoucke L, Blanchart P, Kallio A, Pereira R, Lourenço J, Skipperud L, Jerome S, Fevrier L. Tools for harmonized data collection at exposure situations with naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 175:107954. [PMID: 37187003 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) contribute to the dose arising from radiation exposure for workers, public and non-human biota in different working and environmental conditions. Within the EURATOM Horizon 2020 RadoNorm project, work is ongoing to identify NORM exposure situations and scenarios in European countries and to collect qualitative and quantitative data of relevance for radiation protection. The data obtained will contribute to improved understanding of the extent of activities involving NORM, radionuclide behaviours and the associated radiation exposure, and will provide an insight into related scientific, practical and regulatory challenges. The development of a tiered methodology for identification of NORM exposure situations and complementary tools to support uniform data collection were the first activities in the mentioned project NORM work. While NORM identification methodology is given in Michalik et al., 2023, in this paper, the main details of tools for NORM data collection are presented and they are made publicly available. The tools are a series of NORM registers in Microsoft Excel form, that have been comprehensively designed to help (a) identify the main NORM issues of radiation protection concern at given exposure situations, (b) gain an overview of materials involved (i.e., raw materials, products, by-products, residues, effluents), c) collect qualitative and quantitative data on NORM, and (d) characterise multiple hazards exposure scenarios and make further steps towards development of an integrated risk and exposure dose assessment for workers, public and non-human biota. Furthermore, the NORM registers ensure standardised and unified characterisation of NORM situations in a manner that supports and complements the effective management and regulatory control of NORM processes, products and wastes, and related exposures to natural radiation worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Mrdakovic Popic
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Grini Næringspark, 13, Østerås, Norway.
| | - Hallvard Haanes
- Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Grini Næringspark, 13, Østerås, Norway
| | - Christian Di Carlo
- National Institute of Health (ISS), National Centre for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Nuccetelli
- National Institute of Health (ISS), National Centre for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy
| | - Gennaro Venoso
- National Institute of Health (ISS), National Centre for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Leonardi
- National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), DiMEILA, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosabianca Trevisi
- National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), DiMEILA, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Trotti
- Environmental Protection Agency of Veneto (ARPAV), Verona, Italy
| | | | - Alla Dvorzhak
- Research Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Alicia Escribano
- Research Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Danyl Perez Sanchez
- Research Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Almudena Real
- Research Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Boguslaw Michalik
- Central Mining Institute, Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity (GIG), Plac Gwarków, 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
| | - Lea Pannecoucke
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pascale Blanchart
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SEDRE, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Antti Kallio
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, (STUK), Lähteentie 2, 96400 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Ruth Pereira
- GreenUPorto - Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/Inov4Agro, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua de Agrária, 747, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Joana Lourenço
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Lindis Skipperud
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Environmental Chemistry Section, P. O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Simon Jerome
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Environmental Chemistry Section, P. O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Laureline Fevrier
- Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, IRSN/PSE-ENV/SRTE, 13115 Saint Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
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Wieczorek J, Kaczor M, Boryło A. Determination of 210Po and 210Pb in cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants and products. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 246:106834. [PMID: 35158283 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The concentrations of polonium 210Po and radio-lead 210Pb in cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants and products now legally available in Poland were determined. Limiting the delivery of radionuclides to the body is an important aspect of civil protection in many countries. Reduction in use and awareness of the risks associated with tobacco and cannabis smoking have a great impact. The 210Po and 210Pb concentrations in 44 hemps, 20 hashish and 8 hemp tea samples, as well as in 3 types of cannabis plants (highest parts of mature hemp plant Fenola, Fedora and Futura) were determined. Each of the sample names means a different type and cross of C. sativa L. Being numerous, the are recognized on the market precisely by these names. Effective doses were calculated and compared to the doses of the other combustion products, such as tobacco. In the case of hemp, the highest concentration of 210Po was found in samples of dried Sweet Carmel (34.7 ± 0.23 mBq·g-1), while the lowest in the Hemp Berry (0.57 ± 0.23 mBq·g-1). In the case of 210Pb, the highest concentration was in Strawberry Kush (2.32 ± 0.05 mBq·g-1), while the lowest in Strawberry Haze (0.19 ± 0.03 mBq·g-1). In hashish, the highest and lowest concentrations of 210Po were in Strawberry Diesel 164 ± 3 mBq·g-1 and in Mango Kush 2.5 ± 0.2 mBq·g-1. The highest and lowest concentrations in the case of 210Pb in hashish were in Pollen Hashish 45.1 ± 0.2 mBq·g-1 and in Mango Kush Hashish 0.45 ± 0.05 mBq·g-1, respectively. These radionuclides did not constitute a radioactive equilibrium (210Po/210Pb).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarosław Wieczorek
- Department of Chemistry and Radiochemistry of Environment, Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Marcin Kaczor
- Department of Chemistry and Radiochemistry of Environment, Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Alicja Boryło
- Department of Chemistry and Radiochemistry of Environment, Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdansk, Poland.
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Behbehani M, Carvalho FP, Uddin S, Habibi N. Enhanced Polonium Concentrations in Aerosols from the Gulf Oil Producing Region and the Role of Microorganisms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:13309. [PMID: 34948917 PMCID: PMC8705287 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This study provides the first data set of 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations in the organic and inorganic components of several particle size classes of aerosols collected at two sampling stations in Kuwait. The 210Po concentrations in the aerosols (Bq/g) were similar in all of the particle size classes, but as most (91%) of the aerosol load was made of fine fraction particles of PM0.39-2.5 µm, most of the 210Po activity was carried by this aerosol fraction. At the two sampling stations, the 210Po/210Pb activity concentration ratios in the aerosols were similar, stable around the year, and averaged 1.5 (range 1.2-1.9), much higher than the typical activity concentration ratios of these radionuclides in unmodified (background) aerosols, with Po/Pb < 0.1. The aerosol enrichment in 210Po was likely originated from the oil industry, specifically by gas flaring and oil refining in the Gulf region. Radionuclide analysis in the organic and inorganic components of aerosols showed that the 210Po concentration in the organic component was one order of magnitude higher than the 210Po concentration in the inorganic component, in contrast with 210Pb, which displayed similar concentrations in both organic and inorganic aerosol components. The 210Po carrying organic component of aerosols was investigated and it was found to be largely composed of microorganisms with high microbial and fungi diversity, with the phyla Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota being dominant among the bacteria and with Zygomycota being dominant among the fungi. Therefore, we are facing an active concentration process of the atmospheric 210Po carried out by microorganisms, which underlies the 210Po enrichment process in the organic component of aerosols. This bioconcentration of polonium in bioaerosols was unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montaha Behbehani
- Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat 13109, Kuwait; (M.B.); (N.H.)
| | | | - Saif Uddin
- Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat 13109, Kuwait; (M.B.); (N.H.)
| | - Nazima Habibi
- Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat 13109, Kuwait; (M.B.); (N.H.)
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Matthaios VN, Liu M, Li L, Kang CM, Vieira CLZ, Gold DR, Koutrakis P. Sources of indoor PM 2.5 gross α and β activities measured in 340 homes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111114. [PMID: 33812873 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Particle radioactivity (PR) exposure has been linked to adverse health effects. PR refers to the presence of α- and β-emitting radioisotopes attached to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This study investigated sources contributing to indoor PM2.5 gross α- and β-radioactivity levels. We measured activity from long-lived radon progeny radionuclides from archived PM2.5 samples collected in 340 homes in Massachusetts during the period 2006-2010. We analyzed the data using linear mixed effects models and positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis. Indoor PM2.5 gross α-activity levels were correlated with sulfur (S), iron (Fe), bromine (Br), vanadium (V), sodium (Na), lead (Pb), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), silicon (Si), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), titanium (Ti), radon (222Rn) and black carbon (BC) concentrations (p <0.05). Indoor PM2.5 β-activity was correlated with S, As, antimony (Sb), Pb, Br and BC. We identified four indoor PM2.5 sources: outdoor air pollution (62%), salt aerosol source (14%), fireworks and environmental tobacco smoke (7%) and indoor mixed dust (17%). Outdoor air pollution was the most significant contributor to indoor PM2.5 α- and β-activity levels. The contributions of this source were during the summer months and when windows were open. Indoor mixed dust was also found to contribute to PM2.5 α-activity. PM2.5 α-activity was further associated with radon during winter months, showing radon's important role as an indoor source of ionizing radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios N Matthaios
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Also at: School of Geography Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham, UK.
| | - Man Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Longxiang Li
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Choong-Min Kang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carolina L Z Vieira
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diane R Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Długosz-Lisiecka M, Perka D. Modeling of 210Pb and 210Po radionuclide emissions from local power plants in central Poland. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:2291-2297. [PMID: 33112309 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00141d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Due to the more volatile nature of 210Po in relation to 210Pb, an imbalance of activity concentrations in high temperature combustion processes can be observed, especially in fine particulates (diameter < 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 μm). In the atmosphere and in the soil around coal-fired power plants, 210Pb and 210Po concentrations are a combination of activities from natural and anthropogenic sources. In this study only portions of 210Po and 210Pb radionuclides resulting from energy production activities were analyzed. Due to the high mobility of fine particles, a surface area of 172 km × 140 km in central Poland was chosen for simulation. For validation of the modeling approach, three grid versions were applied: 1 km, 2 km and 4 km. Simulated results confirmed experimental-computational values of an excess of both radionuclides in the atmosphere in 2017 in the city of Lodz. Different aerosol fractions, seasons and various grids in the selected area were subjected to 36 individual simulations. The 210Po activity concentrations measured in winter and summer 2017 were 42.5 and 8.99 μBq m-3, respectively. Simulated and measured values of artificial 210Po and 210Pb activities are well correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Długosz-Lisiecka
- Lodz University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Wroblewskiego 15, 90-924 Lodz, Poland.
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Behbehani M, Uddin S, Baskaran M. 210Po concentration in different size fractions of aerosol likely contribution from industrial sources. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 222:106323. [PMID: 32554167 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
210Po, being a highly radiotoxic isotope, could contribute to significant inhalation dose to humans. This study establishes the first set of atmospheric 210Po data in aerosol samples collected across Kuwait. The primary focus of this study is to investigate spatio-temporal variability of atmospheric 210Po and assess its sources, including anthropogenic contributions. Measurements of 210Po in aerosols collected over a period of 23 months (January 2018-November 2019) from three different locations, i.e., a remote area (120 km) north of Kuwait City, Kuwait city and an industrial site (60 km from Kuwait City center). Specific activities of 210Po were determined in 3 different size fractions (0.39-2.5 μm, 2.5-10 μm and ≥10 μm) and the highest activity was observed in the fine fraction (PM0.39- 2.5) across all sampling stations during both the summer and winter seasons. The highest activities in all the size fractions were measured downwind of the Industrial site that houses oil refineries, cement factory and some other industries including a Power and Desalination Plant. In terms of temporal variations, higher summertime activities were observed across the spatial domain. Longer residence time of atmospheric 222Rn-produced 210Pb resulting in lower scavenging of atmospheric 210Pb, due to very little precipitation in summer, will result in higher atmospheric 210Po.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Behbehani
- Environment Pollution and Climate Program, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait
| | - S Uddin
- Environment Pollution and Climate Program, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.
| | - M Baskaran
- Department of Geology, Wayne State University, Detriot, MI, USA
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Długosz-Lisiecka M. Chemometric methods for source apportionment of 210Pb, 210Bi and 210Po for 10 years of urban air radioactivity monitoring in Lodz city, Poland. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 220:163-168. [PMID: 30583208 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The radionuclide activity concentrations of 210Pb and its decay products 210Bi and 210Po were measured in 271 total suspended particulate samples collected from 2008 to 2017 in the center of Lodz city, Poland. Natural and anthropogenic contributions to the observed activities of 210Pb, 210Bi and 210Po radionuclides were estimated. Corrected aerosol residence times were determined for this purpose. After the closure of one of the coal-fired power plants located in the center of the city, a substantial reduction in emission of these radionuclides was observed. For proper identification of the origins of these radionuclides, the concentrations of 4 K and 7Be as well as sulfur dioxide (SO2), and total air particulate matter were measured. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were conducted for source apportionment of 210Pb, 210Bi and 210Po in urban air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Długosz-Lisiecka
- Technical University of Lodz, Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Wróblewskiego 15, 90-924, Lodz, Poland.
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Długosz-Lisiecka M. Kinetics of 210Po accumulation in moss body profiles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:20254-20260. [PMID: 28702911 PMCID: PMC5574946 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-9659-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Radionuclide concentration analysis of total moss bodies often gave relatively different results than a separate analysis of each different morphological part of the same sample. The dynamics of the transfer of metals by dust uplifted from the soil and another approach, based on the diffusion of the two radionuclides to the moss, have been analyzed. In the proposed model, short- and long-term approaches have been applied. Each part of a moss's profile can show different radionuclides accumulation ability, including both 210Pb and 210Po isotopes. A first-order kinetic model has been used for 210Po and 210Pb transport between three body components of mosses. This mathematical approach has been applied for 210Po activity concentration in the air estimation. For relatively clean deep forest region, calculated concentrations were from 17.2 to 43.8 μBqm-3, while for urban air concentrations were higher from 49.1 to 104.9 μBqm-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Długosz-Lisiecka
- Technical University of Lodz, Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Wróblewskiego 15, 90-924, Łódź, Poland.
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