Title: Natural radionuclides in water and sediments of the São Francisco River in Petrolina, Brazil

Authors: Cleomacio Miguel Da Silva; Crescêncio Andrade Da Silva Filho

Addresses: Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Pernambuco, Campus Mata Norte, Rua Amaro Maltês de Farias, S/N, CEP-55800-000, Nazaré da Mata, Pernambuco, Brazil; Mestrado em Gestão do Desenvolvimento Local Sustentável (GDLS), FCAP-UPE Av. Sport Club do Recife, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil ' Centro Regional de Ciências Nucleares do Nordeste, Avenida Professor Luiz Freire, Cidade Universitária, 200, CEP 50.740-540, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract: This study seeks to determine the concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in water and sediments of the São Francisco River in Petrolina. For this purpose, high resolution gamma ray spectrometry with hyperpure germanium was performed. The levels of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the water samples were all under the detection limit. The concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the sediments varied from 5 to 76 Bq kg⁻¹, from 11 to 521 Bq kg⁻¹, and from 80 to 542 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The results indicated an increase of availability of these radionuclides through the trophic chain in the São Francisco River.

Keywords: TENORM; radioactive isotopes; uranium; thorium; toxicity; risk.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2019.103329

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2019 Vol.11 No.2, pp.89 - 98

Received: 25 Jul 2018
Accepted: 14 Mar 2019
Published online: 04 Nov 2019 *

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