Estimation of Inhaled Effective Doses of Uranium and Thorium for Workers in Bayan Obo Ore and the Surrounding Public, Inner Mongolia, China

Uranium and thorium are two common natural radioactive elements with high concentrations in Earth's crust. The main aim of this study is to estimate the inhaled effective dose of uranium and thorium caused by a typical radioactive rare earth ore to the occupational population and the surroundin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2021-01, Vol.18 (3), p.987
Main Authors: Zhang, Yao, Shao, Xianzhang, Yin, Liangliang, Ji, Yanqin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerosols - analysis
Atmosphere
Cellulose
China
Humans
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrogen peroxide
Inhalation
Membranes
Normal distribution
Parameter estimation
Particle size
Particulate emissions
Particulate matter
Particulate Matter - analysis
Radioisotopes
Rare earth metal ores
Reference materials
Respiration
Thorium
Thorium - analysis
Uranium
Uranium - analysis
Workplaces
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Summary:Uranium and thorium are two common natural radioactive elements with high concentrations in Earth's crust. The main aim of this study is to estimate the inhaled effective dose of uranium and thorium caused by a typical radioactive rare earth ore to the occupational population and the surrounding public. The particulate matter (PM) concentrations in the atmosphere of four typical workplaces and one surrounding living area were obtained by a high-flow sampling equipment with a natural cellulose filter membrane. The critical parameter for the inhaled effective dose estimation-the activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD)-was determined. The AMAD values of uranium and thorium in the atmosphere PM were 3.36 and 3.64 μm, respectively. The estimated median effective dose caused by inhalation thorium among the occupational population ranged from 15.3 to 269.0 μSv/a, and the corresponding value for the surrounding public was 2.3 μSv/a. All values for the effective dose caused by the inhalation of uranium were in the nSv magnitude.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph18030987