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Relationships between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and radioactive elements in soils in China.

Earlier comparisons of epidemiological and geochemical maps of China disclosed associations between high mortality rates from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and low contents of magnesium in the soil. More recent work has shown that high rates of NPC are also associated with high levels of uranium and thorium in the soil. These latest findings are consistent with the earlier ones, since uranium and thorium occur predominantly in acid rocks poor in magnesium. Uranium and thorium are radioactive, and their progeny include radioactive elements such as radium and radon. Whether or not naturally occurring radioactive elements could be risk factors in NPC should, therefore, be further investigated. Direct carcinogenic properties of radon are well known, but in connection with NPC possibilities for reactivation of virus by natural ionizing radiation should also be considered.

China↗

Analytical microscopy and environment. Current developments using bioindicators of pollution by stable and radioactive elements.

Ecotoxicological investigations were performed on three sets of bioindicators. The first one concerns marine pollution of invertebrates (molluscs: the mussel Mytilus edulis and related species, crustaceans: the crab Liocarcinus puber and related species), contaminated by stable or radioactive elements originating from wastes discharged into sea water. The second one concerns freshwater pollution of vertebrates (fish: the brown trout Salmo trutta fario), contaminated by aluminium dissolved in rivers, as a consequence of an atmospheric pollution by acid rain. The third one concerns the atmospheric pollution of trees by plutonium (Casuarina equisetifolia). Mechanisms involved in the uptake, storage and elimination processes of these toxicants were studied, with a special emphasis on cellular and subcellular aspects of concentration sites. Two microanalytical methods were employed: Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), using the ion microscope and the ion microprobe, and X-ray spectrometry using the electron microprobe (EMP). In marine organisms, the target organs and tissues of bioaccumulation of stable and radioactive elements (238U, 239Pu and 241Am), were shown to be mainly digestive gland, gill and exoskeleton. The target organelles were shown to be spherocrystals and lysosomes. Amoebocytes, enzymatically equipped with lysosomal phosphatase, were involved in the phagocytic clearance of metal pollutants. In trout, insolubilisation of Al phosphate within lysosomes and a high metal concentration within bones were observed. The tree Casuarina equisetifolia exhibits a particular ability to concentrate atmospheric plutonium within its leaves.

Air Pollution↗

[Determination of content and specific activity of radioactive elements in phosphate slag by spectral and energy spectrum analysis].

Phosphate slag is the slag discarded after phosphate ore is smelted. The content and specific activity of radioactive elements in slag must be determined accurately for environmental protection and comprehensive utilization. This paper discusses how IR spectrum and X-ray diffraction method are used to study its components. The main phase composition is glassy slag. The samples are decomposed with HF-HNO3-HClO4. After anion-exchange separation, arsenazo III is used to determine the content of uranium and thorium in slag. The average content of U is 32.11 micrograms.g-1 and 8.5 micrograms.g-1 for Th. gamma spectrum is used to determine the specific activity of radioactive nuclear elements in it. The specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are 112 +/- 2.0% Bq.kg-1, 18.8 +/- 6.4% Bq.kg-1 and 77.6 +/- 3.7% Bq.kg-1, respectively. The values are calculated as follow: M(Ra) = 0.6 Bq.kg-1, M gamma = 0.5 Bq.kg-1. The results show that the values are below 1.0 Bq.kg-1, which is stipulated by national GB6566-86 standard for radioactivity of building materials. The slag is therefore can be utilized to produce slag cement. This provides theoretical basis for the treatment of it.

Elements, Radioactive↗

Heat production rate from radioactive elements in igneous and metamorphic rocks in Eastern Desert, Egypt.

Radioactive heat-production data of Igneous and Metamorphic outcrops in the Eastern Desert are presented. Samples were analysed using a low level gamma-ray spectrometer (HPGe) in the laboratory. A total of 205 rock samples were investigated, covering all major rock types of the area. The heat-production rate of igneous rocks ranges from 0.11 (basalt) to 9.53 microWm(-3) (granite). In metamorphic rocks it varies from 0.28 (serpentinite ) to 0.91 microWm(-3) (metagabbro). The contribution due to U is about 51%, as that from Th is 31% and 18% from K. The corresponding values in igneous rocks are 76%, 19% and 5%, respectively. The calculated values showed good agreement with global values except in some areas containing granites.

Journal Article↗