Dose due the Incorporation of Radionuclides Using Teeth as Bioindicators nearby Caetité Uranium Mines
Uranium mining and processing in Brazil occur in a
northeastern area near to Caetité-BA. Several Non-Governmental
Organizations claim that uranium mining in this region is a pollutant
causing health risks to the local population,but those in charge of the
complex extraction and production of“yellow cake" for generating
fuel to the nuclear power plants reject these allegations. This study
aimed at identifying potential problems caused by mining to the
population of Caetité. In this, work,the concentrations of 238U, 232Th
and 40K radioisotopes in the teeth of the Caetité population were
determined by ICP-MS. Teeth are used as bioindicators of
incorporated radionuclides. Cumulative radiation doses in the
skeleton were also determined. The concentration values were below
0.008 ppm, and annual effective dose due to radioisotopes are below
to the reference values. Therefore, it is not possible to state that the
mining process in Caetité increases pollution or radiation exposure in
a meaningful way.
[1] UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of
Atomic radiation). Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation.Report to
the General Assembly, with scientific annexes. Annex B. 2008.
[2] INB (Indústria Nuclear do Brasil). Disponibilidade do urânio,
explora├º├úo, comercializa├º├úo e sustentabilidade da gera├º├úo n├║cleoelétrica
no Brasil. Disponível em: http://www.inb.gov.br/caetite.asp.
2010.
[3] GREENPEACE. Ciclo do Perigo - Impactos da Produção de
Combustível Nuclear no Brasil.Denúncia: contaminação da água por
ur├ónio em Caetité, Bahia. 2008.
[4] N. J. D. T. Arruda, M. V. M. Guevara, G. P. Nogueira, I. D. Taricano,
M. Saiki, C. B. Zambonic, L. V. Bonamin, S. P. Camargo, A. C.
Cestari, A. Deppman, F. Garcia, A. N. Gouveia, V. R. Guzman ."Longterm
accumulation and microdistribution in the bone and marrow of
beagle dog".International Journal of Radiation Biology. v. 8, pp. 567-
575. 2004.
[5] J. G. Pounds, R. W. Leggett. "The ICRP age-specific biokinetic model
for lead: validations, empirical comparisons and
explorations".Environmental Health Perspectives. v. 106, suppl. 6, pp.
1505-1508. 1998.
[6] M. B. Rabinowitz, G. W. Wetherill, J. D. Kopple. "Lead metabolism in
the normal human: stable isotope studies". Science, v. 182, pp. 725-727.
1993.
[7] L. J. S. Tsuji, E. Nieboer, J. D. Karagatzi, D. R. Kozlovic. "Elevated
dentine lead levels in adult teeth of first nation people from an isolated
region of northern Ontario, Canada". Bulletin of Environmental
Contamination and Toxicology. v. 59, pp. 854-860. 1997.
[8] M.F. Giné. Espectrometria de emiss├úo at├┤mica com plasma acoplado
indutivamente. (ICP-AES). CENA, Piracicaba. 1998.
[9] E. Peixot. Potássio. Química Nova na Escola. São Paulo. 2004.
[10] ICRP (Publication Radiation Protection). Report of Committee IV on
evaluation of radiation doses to body tissues from internal contamination
due to occupation exposure: recommendations of the International
Commission on Radiological Protection. Oxford, Pergamon. 1968.
[11] G. R. Prado. Estudo de contaminação ambiental por urânio no município
de Caetité-Ba, utilizando dentes humanos como bioindicadores.
Dissertação de mestrado - UESC - Universidade Estadual de Santa
Cruz. 2007.
[12] G. M. Almeida. Dose de Exposi├º├úo Radiométrica no entorno das minas
de Caetité-BA e Santa Quitéria-CE. Disserta├º├úo de Mestrado.
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, 2011.
[13] H. Vannucchi, M. R. D. L. Unamuno, J. S. Marchini. "Avaliação do
estado nutricional". Simpósio Semiologia Especializada, Ribeirão Preto.
1990.
[14] M. E. Wrenn, P. W. Durbin, B. Howard, J. Lipsztein, J. Rundo, E. T.
Still, P. L. Willis. "Metabolism of ingested U and Ra". Health Phys.
48(5):601-633. 1985.
[15] I. M. Fisene, G. A. Welford. "Natural U concentration in soft tissues and
bone of New York city residents". Health Phys., v.50, 739. 1986.
[16] M. Eisenud. Environmental radioactivity: from natural, industrial and
military sources. 4th. Ed. New York: Academic Press. 1987.
[17] WHO (World Health Organization). Depleted Uranium, sources,
exposure and health effects. Geneva. 2001.
[18] UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of
Atomic Radiation). Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. Report to
the General Assembly, with scientific annexes. Volume I, Sources,
Annex A. 2000.
[19] NCRP (National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements).
Exposures from the uranium series with emphasis on radon and its
daughter. Protection and Measurements. National Council on Radiation
Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD. 77, 56-68. 1984.
[1] UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of
Atomic radiation). Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation.Report to
the General Assembly, with scientific annexes. Annex B. 2008.
[2] INB (Indústria Nuclear do Brasil). Disponibilidade do urânio,
explora├º├úo, comercializa├º├úo e sustentabilidade da gera├º├úo n├║cleoelétrica
no Brasil. Disponível em: http://www.inb.gov.br/caetite.asp.
2010.
[3] GREENPEACE. Ciclo do Perigo - Impactos da Produção de
Combustível Nuclear no Brasil.Denúncia: contaminação da água por
ur├ónio em Caetité, Bahia. 2008.
[4] N. J. D. T. Arruda, M. V. M. Guevara, G. P. Nogueira, I. D. Taricano,
M. Saiki, C. B. Zambonic, L. V. Bonamin, S. P. Camargo, A. C.
Cestari, A. Deppman, F. Garcia, A. N. Gouveia, V. R. Guzman ."Longterm
accumulation and microdistribution in the bone and marrow of
beagle dog".International Journal of Radiation Biology. v. 8, pp. 567-
575. 2004.
[5] J. G. Pounds, R. W. Leggett. "The ICRP age-specific biokinetic model
for lead: validations, empirical comparisons and
explorations".Environmental Health Perspectives. v. 106, suppl. 6, pp.
1505-1508. 1998.
[6] M. B. Rabinowitz, G. W. Wetherill, J. D. Kopple. "Lead metabolism in
the normal human: stable isotope studies". Science, v. 182, pp. 725-727.
1993.
[7] L. J. S. Tsuji, E. Nieboer, J. D. Karagatzi, D. R. Kozlovic. "Elevated
dentine lead levels in adult teeth of first nation people from an isolated
region of northern Ontario, Canada". Bulletin of Environmental
Contamination and Toxicology. v. 59, pp. 854-860. 1997.
[8] M.F. Giné. Espectrometria de emiss├úo at├┤mica com plasma acoplado
indutivamente. (ICP-AES). CENA, Piracicaba. 1998.
[9] E. Peixot. Potássio. Química Nova na Escola. São Paulo. 2004.
[10] ICRP (Publication Radiation Protection). Report of Committee IV on
evaluation of radiation doses to body tissues from internal contamination
due to occupation exposure: recommendations of the International
Commission on Radiological Protection. Oxford, Pergamon. 1968.
[11] G. R. Prado. Estudo de contaminação ambiental por urânio no município
de Caetité-Ba, utilizando dentes humanos como bioindicadores.
Dissertação de mestrado - UESC - Universidade Estadual de Santa
Cruz. 2007.
[12] G. M. Almeida. Dose de Exposi├º├úo Radiométrica no entorno das minas
de Caetité-BA e Santa Quitéria-CE. Disserta├º├úo de Mestrado.
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, 2011.
[13] H. Vannucchi, M. R. D. L. Unamuno, J. S. Marchini. "Avaliação do
estado nutricional". Simpósio Semiologia Especializada, Ribeirão Preto.
1990.
[14] M. E. Wrenn, P. W. Durbin, B. Howard, J. Lipsztein, J. Rundo, E. T.
Still, P. L. Willis. "Metabolism of ingested U and Ra". Health Phys.
48(5):601-633. 1985.
[15] I. M. Fisene, G. A. Welford. "Natural U concentration in soft tissues and
bone of New York city residents". Health Phys., v.50, 739. 1986.
[16] M. Eisenud. Environmental radioactivity: from natural, industrial and
military sources. 4th. Ed. New York: Academic Press. 1987.
[17] WHO (World Health Organization). Depleted Uranium, sources,
exposure and health effects. Geneva. 2001.
[18] UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of
Atomic Radiation). Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. Report to
the General Assembly, with scientific annexes. Volume I, Sources,
Annex A. 2000.
[19] NCRP (National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements).
Exposures from the uranium series with emphasis on radon and its
daughter. Protection and Measurements. National Council on Radiation
Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD. 77, 56-68. 1984.
@article{"International Journal of Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences:50117", author = "Viviane S. Guimarães and Ícaro M. M. Brasil and Simara S. Campos and Roseli F. Gennari and Márcia R. P. Attie and Susana O. Souza.", title = "Dose due the Incorporation of Radionuclides Using Teeth as Bioindicators nearby Caetité Uranium Mines", abstract = "Uranium mining and processing in Brazil occur in a
northeastern area near to Caetité-BA. Several Non-Governmental
Organizations claim that uranium mining in this region is a pollutant
causing health risks to the local population,but those in charge of the
complex extraction and production of“yellow cake" for generating
fuel to the nuclear power plants reject these allegations. This study
aimed at identifying potential problems caused by mining to the
population of Caetité. In this, work,the concentrations of 238U, 232Th
and 40K radioisotopes in the teeth of the Caetité population were
determined by ICP-MS. Teeth are used as bioindicators of
incorporated radionuclides. Cumulative radiation doses in the
skeleton were also determined. The concentration values were below
0.008 ppm, and annual effective dose due to radioisotopes are below
to the reference values. Therefore, it is not possible to state that the
mining process in Caetité increases pollution or radiation exposure in
a meaningful way.", keywords = "bioindicators, radiation dose, radioisotopesincorporation, uranium.", volume = "5", number = "8", pages = "1117-5", }
