A study has been carried out using a gamma-ray spectrometric system to determine the natural
radioactivity level in bricks made from industrial waste and their associated radiation hazard.
Brick-1 and brick-2 contained waste from coal power plant and granite industry, respectively. The
leachability of radionuclides from these bricks was also investigated. The activity concentration
values of 226Ra,
228Ra,
232Th, and 40K are 64.25, 63.15, 67.9 and 254.19 Bq/kg, respectively in brick-
1, and 193, 164.48, 164.63 and 1348.75 Bq/kg, respectively in brick-2. The radiation hazard
indexes such as radium equivalent activities (Raeq), representative level index (Iγr), external hazard
index (Hex) and internal hazard index (Hin) were calculated and compared with the internationally
approved values. Results indicate that brick-1 showed less radiological hazard than brick-2. This
suggested that brick-1 could be used in building construction without exceeding the proposed
criterion level.The leachability of 226Ra for bricks showed the activity concentration slightly
exceeded 1 Bq/L which is the limit generally used for industrial wastewater.
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of samples require good judgment from the analysts. These two aspects in gamma spectrometric analysis of Proficiency Test and solid radioactive waste samples for the determination of radionuclides are discussed. It is vital to judge and decide what energy peaks belong to which radionuclides prior to the creation of customized radionuclide library for the analysis of specific samples. Corrections due to radionuclide decay and growth, and the half-life assigned to a particular radionuclide in the uranium and thorium series are also discussed. Discussion on judgment to confirm the presence of thorium in food samples based on gamma spectrometry and neutron activation analysis is also provided.
Feasibility studies on the vitrification of spent ion exchange resins combined with glass cullet powder have been conducted using a High Temperature Test Furnace. Bottle glass cullet powder was used as matrix material to convert the ash of the spent resins into a glass. Vitrificat ion of spent ion exchange resins presents a reasonable disposal alternative, because of its inherent organic destruction capabilities, the volume reduction levels obtainable, and the durable product that it yields. In this study, the spent ion exchange resin from the PUSPATI TRIGA reactor of Nuclear Malaysia was combusted in a lab scale combustor and the resulting ash was vitrified together with glass cullet powder in a high temperature furnace to produce a stable spent resin ash embedded in glass. The factors affecting this immobilized waste, such as thermal stability, radiological stability and leachability have all been investigated. However, the outcome of these tests, which include the radionuclide activity concentration in the slag, the optimum conditioning temperature - in relation with volume reduction during vitrification - and the volume mixing ratio of matrix material were reported. It was found that the radionuclides present in spent resins were 54 Mn, 60 Co and 152Eu. The elementary chemical composition (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur) of spent resins was 27.6% C, 5.68% H, 2.04% N and 4.20% S, respectively. The maximum calorific value of spent resins was 1735 kJ/kg. The average activity concentrations of 54 Mn and 60Co in ash at 200oC were 9,411 ± 243 Bq/Kg and 12,637± 201 Bq/Kg. flue gases containing CO2, CO, SO2 and NO started to be emitted above 200oC. The optimum conditioning temperature was also the highest tested, i.e. 900oC in 45 minutes, and the best mixing ratio ash to matrix material was also the highest, ie 1:9. Finally, the leaching analysis of slag at 900oC in 45 minutes showed that the leaching activity of 60Co was below 0.5 Bq/mL.
Effect of washing solutions’ pH on removal of radium-226 from radium-contaminated soil using distilled water and humic acid extracted from Malaysian peat soil was studied by a single batch washing method. The study encompassed the extraction of humic acid and the washing of radium-contaminated soil using distilled water and humic acid solutions of varying pH in the range between 3 to 11. Activity of radium-226 was determined by gamma spectrometer. In the pH range studied, the removal of radium-226 was greater when humic acid solutions were used compared to distilled water. Greater removal of radium-226 was obtained using highly basic pH washing solutions compared to neutral and acidic solutions.
Effect of AP+, Ca", Cu" and Fe" on the removal of radium-226 from radium-contaminated soil using humic acid extracted from a Malaysian peat soil was investigated using batch washing method. The concentration of Al,+ Ca", Cu" and Fe" ranged from 0 to 100 ppm. The radioactivity concentration of radium-226 was determined by gamma spectrometer. The removal of radium-226 was enhanced in the presence of AP' with concentration between 20 - 60 ppm. Meanwhile, higher concentration of 80 - 100 ppm did not lead to further increase in the removal of radium-226. The removal of radium-226 was decreased in the presence of Ca" and Cu". In the presence of Fe" with concentration between 20 - 60 ppm, decrease in the removal of radium-226 was also observed. Nevertheless, at concentration between 80 - 100 ppm, the presence of Fe" led to increase in the removal of radium-226.
This study examines the influence of humic acids (HA) on adsorption of radium (Ra) ions onto coir pith (CP) in aqueous solution. The adsorption behaviours of Ra ions onto CP under the influence of HA in aqueous solution were investigated in the series of batch mode adsorption experiments. The effects of various experimental conditions such as pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration of Ra ions have been studied. The results revealed that the presence of HA in aqueous solution enhanced the adsorption of Ra ions onto CP. The adsorption results showed that the percentage of Ra adsorbed was increased with an increase in the pH or alkalinity of aqueous solutions. Time dependence of the batch studies showed that a contact time of one day was sufficient to reach equilibrium. The result also showed that there was no significant difference on the effect of adsorbent dose on adsorption of radium onto CP. It was shown that the equilibrium data could be fitted by Freundlich equation.
A study to assess the concentration of radionuclides in spent resins of the PUSPATI TRIGA Mark II reactor coolant purification system has been carried out. Fresh spent resins collected and analysed in May 2010, after the changing of leaked heat exchanger in Sept. 2009 was found to contain 24Na, 122Sb, 51Cr, 124Sb, 58Co, 65Zn, 54Mn and 60Co. Old spent resins removed in 2001 and 2002 but analysed in 2010 indicated the presence of 60Co and 152Eu as radionuclides with half-lives of < 1 year might have already been decayed out. These results can be used to establish radionuclide inventory of the spent resins as part of radiation protection programme.
A systematic study to assess the concentration of radionuclides in primary coolant and associated water samples from the operation of a TRIGA Mark II reactor has been carried out. The samples were transferred into appropriate counting container and were counted by efficiency-calibrated gamma spectrometer systems for several hours to obtain statistically adequate data for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the radioactive materials presence. The primary coolant was found to contain various gamma emitting radionuclides including 24Na, 41Ar, 42K, 51Cr, , 54Mn, 56Mn, 60Co, 99mTc, 122Sb, 124Sb and 187W. Most of the detected radionuclides were inferred to be originated from activation products of (n,) nuclear reactions of elements of reactor components such as stainless steel and aluminium alloy used in the reactor system. The study confirms the integrity of the reactor system with no apparent release of any fission products radionuclide into the coolant water system.
The existence of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) such as K-40 was studied all over the world for their characteristics and effects on human and environment. K-40 exist in the earth crust with the concentration about 1.8 mg/kg or 481 Bq/g.. In this study, the level of K-40 in soil samples were measured using gamma spectrometer equipped with hyper pure germanium detector. The samples were collected from an oil palm cultivated area of Jengka 15, in Maran District, Pahang. The results show the level of K-40 activities at various locations. The activities of K-40 are in the range 52.9-150.5 Bq/kg and total potassium concentrations are 1.60-4.50%. There are no correlation between activities of K-40 with elevation i.e. R2= 0.0885.