Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study
Abstract This study assessed the radioactivity levels and associated risks in the black sand-separated products obtained from the black sand separation plant in Delta, Egypt. A total of sixteen samples were taken from hot spots during and after the separation process. These include water samples and...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55633-1 |
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| author | Islam M. Nabil Moamen G. El-Samrah A. F. El Sayed Ahmed Shazly Ahmed Omar |
| author_facet | Islam M. Nabil Moamen G. El-Samrah A. F. El Sayed Ahmed Shazly Ahmed Omar |
| author_sort | Islam M. Nabil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study assessed the radioactivity levels and associated risks in the black sand-separated products obtained from the black sand separation plant in Delta, Egypt. A total of sixteen samples were taken from hot spots during and after the separation process. These include water samples and other samples that represent monazite, rutile, zircon, granite, ilmenite, and silica products. The hot spots included the area where the ore was stored. The activity concentrations of $$^{232}Th$$ 232 T h , $$^{226}Ra$$ 226 R a , and $$^{40}K$$ 40 K were determined in these samples using a p-type HPGe detector. Based on gamma spectrometric analysis, samples of rutile, zircon, and monazite had the highest amounts of radioactivity because they contained the highest NORM’s activity concentrations. In addition, it indicated that the radiological hazard indices of the collected samples were higher than the average world limits for sand texture. These findings suggest that the black sand separation process reveals potential risks to human health and the environment, and therefore, appropriate measures need to be taken to mitigate these risks, especially for the safety of the workers on-site. Reducing the risk associated with those sites should be controlled by implementing the recommendations declared for the series of International Basic Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (GSR) Part 3, as affirmed in Document No. 103 of 2007 by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) as will be presented in the paper body. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:10:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d78cd44c3fb3411db39fb309e5238524 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:10:33Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-d78cd44c3fb3411db39fb309e52385242024-03-05T18:43:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-0114111110.1038/s41598-024-55633-1Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case studyIslam M. Nabil0Moamen G. El-Samrah1A. F. El Sayed2Ahmed Shazly3Ahmed Omar4Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum UniversityNuclear Engineering Department, Military Technical CollegePhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo UniversityCentral LaboratoryNuclear Engineering Department, Military Technical CollegeAbstract This study assessed the radioactivity levels and associated risks in the black sand-separated products obtained from the black sand separation plant in Delta, Egypt. A total of sixteen samples were taken from hot spots during and after the separation process. These include water samples and other samples that represent monazite, rutile, zircon, granite, ilmenite, and silica products. The hot spots included the area where the ore was stored. The activity concentrations of $$^{232}Th$$ 232 T h , $$^{226}Ra$$ 226 R a , and $$^{40}K$$ 40 K were determined in these samples using a p-type HPGe detector. Based on gamma spectrometric analysis, samples of rutile, zircon, and monazite had the highest amounts of radioactivity because they contained the highest NORM’s activity concentrations. In addition, it indicated that the radiological hazard indices of the collected samples were higher than the average world limits for sand texture. These findings suggest that the black sand separation process reveals potential risks to human health and the environment, and therefore, appropriate measures need to be taken to mitigate these risks, especially for the safety of the workers on-site. Reducing the risk associated with those sites should be controlled by implementing the recommendations declared for the series of International Basic Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (GSR) Part 3, as affirmed in Document No. 103 of 2007 by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) as will be presented in the paper body.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55633-1Black sandSeparated productsNORMsActivity concentrationsRadiological hazard indices |
| spellingShingle | Islam M. Nabil Moamen G. El-Samrah A. F. El Sayed Ahmed Shazly Ahmed Omar Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study Scientific Reports Black sand Separated products NORMs Activity concentrations Radiological hazard indices |
| title | Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study |
| title_full | Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study |
| title_fullStr | Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study |
| title_short | Radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant’s minerals: a case study |
| title_sort | radionuclides distribution and radiation hazards assessment of black sand separation plant s minerals a case study |
| topic | Black sand Separated products NORMs Activity concentrations Radiological hazard indices |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55633-1 |
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