Natural radioactivity of groundwater from the Przerzeczyn-Zdrój Spa

The present authors performed investigations of natural radioactivity in groundwater from the Przerzeczyn- -Zdrój Spa. Some of the waters are regarded as medical and are used for balneological purposes. Samples from seven groundwater intakes were collected 5 times over a period of 8 years (1999–2007). In order to obtain necessary data, two different nuclear spectrometry techniques were applied: α spectrometry and liquid scintillation spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 222Rn varied in the range from 15±2 Bq/l to 154±22 Bq/l. The results of activity concentrations of 226,228Ra varied from below 10 mBq/l to 30±1.5 mBq/l and from below 30 mBq/l to 60±4 mBq/l, respectively. Activity concentration lower than minimum detectable activity (MDA) was obtained for 3 samples for 226Ra and 4 for 228Ra determinations out of 7 investigated samples. The uranium content in the studied samples was determined once and the value ranged from 4.5±0.6 mBq/l to 13.6±1.2 mBq/l for 238U and from 17.1±0.9 mBq/l to 52.2±2.8 mBq/l for 234U. All obtained values for uranium isotopes showed activity concentrations above MDA. The activity ratios 234U/238U, 222Rn/226Ra and 226Ra/238U and the correlations between different isotopes concentrations were evaluated

Natural radioactivity content in groundwater of Mt. Etna’s eastern flank and gamma background of surrounding rocks

Waters of Mt. Etna are the main source of drinking water for the local population and are also distributed in municipal supply systems to neighbouring areas. Radioactivity in underground waters and surrounding rocks from the eastern flank of Mt. Etna was investigated on the basis of 9 water and 8 rock samples from 12 localities altogether. Three samples were from water drainage galleries and six from water wells. All water intakes are used for consumption. Activity concentration of uranium isotopes 234,238U, radium isotopes 226,228Ra and radon 222Rn were determined with the use different nuclear spectrometry techniques. The determination of uranium isotopes was carried out with the use of alpha spectrometry. The measurements of radium and radon activity concentration in water were performed with the use of a liquid scintillation technique. Additionally, rocks surrounding the intakes were examined with gamma spectrometry. All water samples showed uranium concentration above Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA), with the highest total uranium (234U + 238U) activity concentration equal to 149.2±6 mBq/L. Conversely, all samples showed radium isotopes activity concentrations below MDA. Radon activity concentration was within the range from 2.91±0.36 to 21.21±1.10 Bq/L, hence these waters can be classified as low-radon waters. Gamma natural background of the rocks surrounding the water sampling sites was found on the same levels as other volcanic rocks of Italy

National comparison of methods for determination of radon in water

The article describes three interlaboratory experiments concerning 222Rn determination in water samples. The fi rst two experiments were carried out with the use of artifi cial radon waters prepared by the Laboratory of Radiometric Expertise (LER), Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków in 2014 and 2018. The third experiment was performed using natural environment waters collected in the vicinity of the former uranium mine in Kowary in 2016. Most of the institutions performing radon in water measurements in Poland were gathered in the Polish Radon Centre Network, and they participated in the experiments. The goal of these exercises was to evaluate different measurement techniques used routinely in Polish laboratories and the laboratories’ profi ciency of radon in water measurements. In the experiment performed in 2018, the reference values of 222Rn concentration in water were calculated based on the method developed at LER. The participants’ results appeared to be worse for low radon concentration than for high radon concentrations. The conclusions drawn on that base indicated the weaknesses of the used methods and probably the sampling. The interlaboratory experiments, in term, can help to improve the participants’ skills and reliability of their results

Radon intercomparison tests – Katowice, 2016

At the beginning of the year 2016, the representatives of the Polish Radon Centre decided to organize profi ciency tests (PTs) for measurements of radon gas and radon decay products in the air, involving radon monitors and laboratory passive techniques. The Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity of the Central Mining Institute (GIG), Katowice, became responsible for the organization of the PT exercises. The main reason to choose that location was the radon chamber in GIG with a volume of 17 m3, the biggest one in Poland. Accordingly, 13 participants from Poland plus one participant from Germany expressed their interest. The participants were invited to inform the organizers about what types of monitors and methods they would like to check during the tests. On this basis, the GIG team prepared the proposal for the schedule of exercises, such as the required level(s) of radon concentrations, the number and periods of tests, proposed potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) levels and also the overall period of PT. The PT activity was performed between 6th and 17th June 2016. After assessment of the results, the agreement between radon monitors and other measurement methods was confi rmed. In the case of PAEC monitors and methods of measurements, the results of PT exercises were consistent and confi rmed the accuracy of the calibration procedures used by the participants. The results of the PAEC PTs will be published elsewhere; in this paper, only the results of radon intercomparison are described

Radioactivity of dumps in mining areas of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland

Underground coal mining is associated with large quantities of gangue. In the past, the majority of gangue was not utilized but was placed in the vicinity of the coalmines forming cone-shaped dumps. Some of them contained even millions of tons of rock. Nowadays, environmental precautions extort larger utilization of any kind of waste materials, for example in road construction, civil engineering or as stowing in underground abandoned workings. Examination of the composition of waste dumps, including radioactivity, is thus an important issue. The paper presents results of a radiological survey carried out in several dumps located in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in the south of Poland. Measurements of samples were carried out with the use of a gamma-ray spectrometer. Activity concentration results for the uranium and thorium decay chains are discussed

Uranium, radium and radon isotopes in selected brines of Poland

Natural radioactive isotopes were studied in nine different types of brines from four locations in Poland. Investigated brines are exploited from various geological structures composed of the rocks of different chemical and mineral composition as well as different age and depth. All investigated brines are used in balneotherapy (i.e. baths, inhalations, showers). The main goal of this study was to obtain some basic knowledge on the activity range of natural elements such as uranium, radium and radon in different brine types in Poland and their variability depending on their location in certain geological structures. Activities of 234,238U, 226,228Ra and 222Rn isotopes were measured with the use of two nuclear spectrometry techniques: liquid scintillation and alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 222Rn vary from below 1 to 76.1 plus or minus 3.7 Bq/l, for the 226Ra isotope from 0.19 plus or minus 0.01 to 85.5 plus or minus 0.4 Bq/l and for 228Ra from below 0.03 to 2.17 plus or minus 0.09 Bq/l. For uranium isotopes, the concentrations are in the range from below 0.5 to 5.1 plus or minus 0.4 mBq/l for 238U and from 1.6 plus or minus 0.4 to 45.6 plus or minus 2.0 mBq/l for 234U. The obtained results indicate high radium activity concentrations corresponding to high mineralization of waters

Calibration of a groundwater-radon monitoring station for seismic precursor study

A groundwater-radon monitoring station is in operation at Gallicano, a thermomineral spring located in Garfagnana, a high seismic area in Tuscany (Italy). The station automatically and continuously measures the radon concentration of the groundwater, and then transmits online the data to a dedicated web page [1]. Radon monitoring is performed along with the measurement of some geochemical parameters of the water, done by another dedicated station which operates together with the previous one, and belongs to a wider geochemical monitoring network operating in Tuscany since 2002 [2]. The purpose of these two stations is examining possible correlations between radon levels and geochemical parameter anomalies before an earthquake. The radon station measures the radon concentration in groundwater by means of gamma spectroscopy with a 2”x2” NaI(Tl) scintillation detector, analysing groundwater samples drawn into a Marinelli-type container after equilibrium is reached between radon and its short decay progenies. The energy and efficiency calibration of the scintillator detector is performed using a radon source with known radon concentration, placed inside a Marinelli beaker like the one used in the station. In this work, an independent verification of the efficiency calibration of the radon station is obtained by an intercomparison with the liquid scintillation counting of radon in groundwater, considering the same water sample as that one of the station. Prior to the measurements, a precise determination of the efficiency of radon counting with the liquid scintillation spectrometer was determined by measuring a set of calibrations vials [3]. The vials contained 226Ra standard solution diluted with distilled water and organic scintillation cocktail. 226Ra activity concentration covered the anticipated activity range of the samples to be analyzed. An accurate knowledge of radon concentration is mandatory to validate the acquired data series and to identify possible anomalies with respect to the radon average value and correlations with the geochemical parameters of the water. When an anomaly is identified, after removing all the other possible causes of radon concentration variation, this may be considered as a possible index of variation of the seismic activity

Evidence for a higher resolution of HLA genotyping by a new NGS-based approach.

International audienceWith more than 16,000 alleles identified, the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) system is one of the most polymorphic regions of the human genome. Regarding the crucial role of HLA compatibility in transplantation and especially in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, identification of HLA polymorphisms at a high-resolution level is of major interest. Recently, NGS technology has been proposed which appears to be simpler and more informative than the classical molecular methods such as SSP, SSOr and SBT. In the present report, a new set of NGS reagents and the appropriate associated software for sequence analysis are described. Through different studies, the performances of the system are illustrated and demonstrate that the method herein described overcomes current limitations in performing high-resolution HLA typing in clinical laboratories