Overview about Different Approaches of Chemical Treatment of NORM and TE-NORM Produced from Oil Exploitation

Crude oil or gas is considered the most important sources of natural radionuclides from the uranium and thorium series. The radionuclides of primary concern to the oil and gas industry are Ra226 (U238 decay) and Ra228 (Th232 decay) due to their radiotoxicity and relatively long half-lives (1620 and 5.75 years, respectively). One of the decay products of U238 is Rn222, a radioactive noble gas. Radon emanates from the ground where it can be breathed in. Radon also decays to alpha-emitting progeny nuclides, so inhaling a single radon atom can lead, ultimately, to up to four alpha decays in the lungs before reaching stability. Alpha particles are considered as internally hazardous if a radioactive source emitting its particles is inhaled or ingested. So, in this chapter we shall make an overview about different approaches of chemical treatment of NORM and TE-NORM produced from oil exploitation