Journal of Radiation Protection and Research

The Korean Association for Radiation Protection (대한방사선방어학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Study of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Present in Deep Soil of the Malwa Region of Punjab State of India Using Low Level Background Gamma-Ray Spectrometry

  • Srivastava, Alok (Department of Chemistry, Panjab University) ;
  • Chahar, Vikash (Department of Chemistry, Panjab University) ;
  • Chauhan, Neeraj (Department of Chemistry, Panjab University) ;
  • Krupp, Dominik (Department of Chemical Process Technology, Hochschule-Mannheim) ;
  • Scherer, Ulrich W. (Department of Chemical Process Technology, Hochschule-Mannheim)
  • Received : 2021.02.01
  • Accepted : 2021.08.31
  • Published : 2022.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological observations such as mental retardation, physical deformities, etc., in children besides different types of cancer in the adult population of the Malwa region have been reported. The present study is designed to get insight into the role of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in causing detrimental health effects observed in the general population of this region. Materials and Methods: Deep soil samples were collected from different locations in the Malwa region. Their activity concentrations were determined using low-level background gammaray spectrometry. High efficiency and high purity germanium detector capped in a lead-shielded chamber having a resolution of 1.8 keV at 1,173 keV and 2.0 keV at the 1,332 keV line of 60Co was used in the present work. Data were evaluated with Genie-2000 software. Results and Discussion: Mean activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in deep soil were found to be 101.3 Bq/kg, 65.8 Bq/kg, and 688.6 Bq/kg, respectively. The mean activity concentration of 238U was found to be three and half times higher than the global average prescribed by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). It was further observed that the activity concentration of 232Th and 40K has a magnitude that is nearly one and half times higher than the global average prescribed by UNSCEAR. In addition, the radioisotope 137Cs which is likely to have its origin in radiation fallout was also observed. It is postulated that the NORM present in high quantity in deep soil somehow get mobilized into the water aquifers used by the general population and thereby causing harmful health problems. Conclusion: It can be stated that the present work has been able to demonstrate the use of low background gamma-ray spectrometry to understand the role of NORM in causing health-related effects in a general population of the Malwa region of Punjab, India.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to Ms. Archana Negi and Ms. Ritika Gupta for assistance in preparation and collection of samples. Alok Srivastava would like to place in record his special thanks to Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Bonn, Germany for providing him funds to carry out part of the research work in Germany. Neeraj Chauhan is grateful to the University Grants commission of Government of India for the grant of Junior Research Fellowship to him.

References

  1. Bleise A, Danesi PR, Burkart W. Properties, use and health effects of depleted uranium (DU): a general overview. J Environ Radioact. 2003;64(2-3):93-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(02)00041-3
  2. Busby C, Schnug E. Advanced biochemical and biophysical aspects of uranium contamination. In: De Kok LJ, Schnug E, editors. Loads and fate of fertilizer derived uranium. Leiden, Netherlands: Backhuys Publishers; 2008. p. 11-22.
  3. Kang JK, Seo S, Jin YW. Health effects of radon exposure. Yonsei Med J. 2019;60(7):597-603. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2019.60.7.597
  4. Bjorklund G, Christophersen OA, Chirumbolo S, Selinus O, Aaseth J. Recent aspects of uranium toxicology in medical geology. Environ Res. 2017;156:526-533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.04.010
  5. Harrison J, Leggett R, Lloyd D, Phipps A, Scott B. Polonium-210 as a poison. J Radiol Prot. 2007;27(1):17-40. https://doi.org/10.1088/0952-4746/27/1/001
  6. Blaurock-Busch E, Busch YM, Friedle A, Buerner H, Parkash C, Kaur A. Comparing the metal concentration in the hair of cancer patients and healthy people living in the Malwa region of Punjab, India. Clin Med Insights Oncol. 2014;8:1-13. https://doi.org/10.4137/CMO.S13410
  7. Blaurock-Busch E, Friedle A, Godfrey M, Schulte-Uebbing CE, Smit C. Metal exposure in the children of Punjab, India. Clin Med Insights Ther. 2010;2:655.
  8. Lavit K, Shalini S. Mitigating cancer mortality in Punjab: a challenge for development. Indian J Econ Dev. 2017;13(2a):36-41. https://doi.org/10.5958/2322-0430.2017.00036.1
  9. Bajwa BS, Kumar S, Singh S, Sahoo SK, Tripathi RM. Uranium and other heavy toxic elements distribution in the drinking water samples of SW-Punjab, India. J Radiat Res Appl Sci. 2017;10(1):13-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrras.2015.01.002
  10. Kumar A, Usha N, Sawant PD, Tripathi RM, Raj SS, Mishra M, et al. Risk assessment for natural uranium in subsurface water of Punjab State, India. Hum Ecol Risk Assess. 2011;17(2):381-393. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2011.552395
  11. Alrakabi M, Singh G, Bhalla A, Kumar S, Kumar S, Srivastava A, et al. Study of uranium contamination of ground water in Punjab state in India using X-ray fluorescence technique. J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2012;294(2):221-227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-011-1585-x
  12. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Sources and effects of ionizing radiation (Volume 1). New York, NY: United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation; 2000.
  13. World Health Organization. Guidelines for drinking-water quality. 4th ed. Geneva, Switzerland; World Health Organization; 2011.
  14. United States Environment Protection Agency. 2011 edition of the drinking water standards and health advisories. Washington, DC: United States Environment Protection Agency; 2011.
  15. Bhardwaj S, Shukla DP, Halder A. Spatial distribution of uranium and chemo-radiological assessment in Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2020;324(2):467-480. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07088-7
  16. Kumar D, Singh A, Jha RK. Spatial distribution of uranium and basic water quality parameter in the capital of Bihar and consequent ingestion dose. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018;25(18):17901-17914. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1922-5
  17. Bajaj M, Eiche E, Neumann T, Winter J, Gallert C. Hazardous concentrations of selenium in soil and groundwater in NorthWest India. J Hazard Mater. 2011;189(3):640-646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.01.086
  18. Schnug E, Lottermoser BG. Fertilizer-derived uranium and its threat to human health. Environ Sci Technol. 2013;47(6):2433-2434. https://doi.org/10.1021/es4002357
  19. Central Water Commission [Internet]. Chandigarh, India: Government of India; 2020 [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: http://cwc.gov.in/ibo/about-basins.
  20. International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA isotope browser app now available in multiple languages [Internet]. Vienna, Austria: International Atomic Energy Agency; 2017 [cited 2022 Mar 1]. Available from: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaeaisotope-browser-app-now-available-in-multiple-languages.
  21. Srivastava A, Lahiri S, Maiti M, Knolle F, Hoyler F, Scherer UW, et al. Study of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in top soil of Punjab State from the North Western part of India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2014;302(2):1049-1052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3450-1
  22. Kumar A, Kumar S, Singh J, Singh P, Bajwa BS. Assessment of natural radioactivity levels and associated dose rates in soil samples from historical city Panipat, India. J Radiat Res Appl Sci. 2017;10(3):283-288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrras.2017.05.006
  23. Srivastava A, Chahar V, Sharma V, Sun Y, Bol R, Knolle F, et al. Study of uranium toxicity using low-background gamma-ray spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2017;314(2):1367-1373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5466-9