Effect of Radioactive Minerals Potentiality and Primordial Nuclei Distribution on Radiation Exposure Levels within Muscovite Granite, Wadi Nugrus, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

The studied area at Wadi Nugrus, Southeastern Desert, Egypt, is located between lat. 24°41'00'' and 24°41'35''N and long. 34°36'47'' and 34°37'09''E. The rock types are represented by layered metagabbros, biotite schists, gneisses, granodiorites, and Muscovite granites. The muscovite granite of Wadi Nugrus, is small exposure in size (~5.0 km2), emplaced along NW-SE trend, with about 0.5 - 4.5 Km in length and 100 - 250 m in width and intruding the biotite schists. The studied muscovite granite is composed mainly of plagioclases, potash feldspars, quartz, biotite and muscovite. The recorded minerals assemblage can be classified into secondary U-minerals (uranophane and meta-autunite), U-bearing minerals (uranothorite and columbite) and accessory minerals (zircon, flourite, allanite, zinnwaldite and hematite). The U/eU is more unity where, the measured chemical uranium is higher than the measured equivalent uranium in the most analyzed samples especially in trenches, which reflect disequilibrium state. The activity concentrations range from 251.72 to 1096.2 Bq·kg-1 for 232Th, from 494 to 2593.5 Bq·kg-1 for 226Ra, and from 1314.6 to 1846.7 Bq·kg-1 for 40K. The obtained radiological data show that the average internal and external hazard indices are 9.11 and 5.78, respectively which are more than unity and highly exceeding the permissible limits (International Commission on Radiation Protection, ICRP). The internal and external hazards are mainly due to 226Ra nuclei while the absorbed dose rate (nGy/h) is related to 232Th nuclei. The contributions of the three nuclei in the total absorbed dose rates and internal and external hazardous, for 226Ra, it contributes by 72% in Hin, 57% in Hex and 55% of DR, for 232Th it contributes by 24% in Hin, 37% in Hex and 36.9% of DR, while for 40K it contributes by 4.1% in Hin, 6.4% in Hex and 8.1% of DR.

A Study on the Dose-Response Relationship between Asbestos Exposure Level and Asbestosis among Workers in a Chinese Chrysotile Product Factory

The dose-response relationship for asbestos exposure in a chrysotile product factory was studied. The past gravimetric dust concentration values, obtained from different worksites, were converted into fiber concentration values according to conversion factors that were worked out by simultaneous sampling in this study. The conversions were made so that exposure could be expressed in fiber-years (f-yr). Asbestosis was diagnosed on the basis of chest radiographs and occupational histories. Cumulative dust exposure (f-yr) was calculated up to the date of diagnosis for asbestosis patients, and up to September 1982 for the remaining workers. A dose-response relationship expressed as fiber-years exposed vs cumulative prevalence of asbestosis was established by the life table method on the basis of these data. Predicted 3 and 1% prevalence of asbestosis corresponded to 43 and 22 f-yr exposure, respectively. Considering that a worker can work for 35 years, these doses are commensurate with dust concentrations of 1.22 and 0.63 f/ml, respectively. It is recommended that 1 f/ml be taken as the maximum allowable concentration of airborne asbestos dust for the workplace with an anticipated prevalence of about 2% asbestosis after 35 years of exposure. 1990 Academic Press, Inc.

Health risk from fluoride exposure of a population in selected areas of Tamil Nadu South India

Prevalence of fluorosis is a public health problem in many states of India.It is necessary to find out the different sources through which fluoride enters human metabolism.Only when the sources are identified,suitable remedial measures can be initiated.This study was attempted to find out the contribution of fluoride from various sources such as drinking water,staple food grains,cooked rice,green leafy vegetables and cow milk in the selected area of the study.Percentage of incidence of fluorosis was estimated using a clinical survey.Calculated community fluorosis index values in all the 22 villages were greater than the accepted index value.Fluoride intake from all manor dietary sources of different age groups such as infants,children,adolescents,adults and aged above 70 was determined.The study revealed that,of all the sources,fluoride contribution from drinking water is significant irrespective of age.Hence,it is advised that people of South India,where there similarity in diet pattern,consume drinking water with lesser fluoride to minimize the debilitating effect of fluoride.The study also recommends to the government authorities concerned with supply to provide water with low fluoride level.©2013 Beijing Academy of Food Sciences.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.

Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Benzene,Toluene,and Xylene in Shanghai

Objective This study was designed to conduct a retrospective and systematic occupational health risk assessment(OHRA)of enterprises that used benzene,toluene,and xylene(BTX)in Shanghai,China.Methods All data for the study were obtained from 1,705 occupational health examination and evaluation reports from 2013 to 2017,and a semiquantitative model following Chinese OHRA guidelines(GBZ/T 298-2017)was applied for the assessment.Results The selected enterprises using BTX were mainly involved in manufacturing of products.Using the exposure level method,health risk levels associated with exposure to BTX were classified as medium,negligible,or low.However,the risk levels associated with benzene and toluene were significantly different according to job types,with gluers and inkers exhibiting greater health risks.For the same job type,the health risk levels assessed using the comprehensive index method were higher than those using the exposure level method.Conclusion Our OHRA reveals that workers who are exposed to BTX still face excessive health risk.Additionally,the risk level varied depending on job categories and exposure to specific chemicals.Therefore,additional control measures recommended by OHRA guidelines are essential to reduce worker exposure levels.