Determination of natural radionuclides in waste generated in the potable water treatment plants of the Zona da Mata of the state of Pernambuco- Brazil

Authors

  • Adriana Muniz de Almeida Albuquerque Centro Regional de Ciências Nucleares do Nordeste

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v7i2A.763

Keywords:

waste, radionuclide, water

Abstract

The water purification procedure aims to obtain a product appropriate for human consumption, minimizing the presence of contaminants and toxic substances present in the water. Among these contaminants, some radionuclides of natural origin, such as uranium, thorium and their descendants, have been identified. Studies have shown that the stages of purification are quite effective in removing the radionuclides contained in water. The removal is due to co-precipitation of the radionuclides with the suspended materials and the precipitated material is accumulated and characterized as a Technologically Concentrated Natural Occurrence Radioactive Material (TENORM) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This residue can present significant levels of radioactivity and, when discarded in the environment without any treatment, can generate a problem of environmental impact and a risk to the health of the population. In this way, some gamma emitters of the series of U, Th and the K-40 were determined in the residues generated at the Potable Water Treatment Plants – PWTPs in six municipalities of Pernambuco. The results obtain corroborate the classification of the residues generated in the PWTPs as concentrators of the radioactive components contained in the water supplied to the system and reinforce the need for the release to the environment, which is the usual way of disposal of this waste, to be carried out only after considering the radiological protection standards established.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

APAC- Agência Pernambucana de Águas e Clima. Estações do ano. Available at: . Last accessed: Jul. 2017.

BAEZA, A. SALAS, F. LEGARDA, F. Determining factors in the elimination of uranium and radiumfrom groundwaters during a standard potabilization process. Science of the total environment v. 406, p. 24–34, 2008.

BAEZA, A.; SALAS, A. ; GUILLÉN, J; MUÑOZ-SERRANO, A. Association of naturally occurring radionuclides in sludges from Drinking Water Treatment Plants previously optimized for their removal. Chemosphere v. 97, p. 108–114, 2014.

BRASIL - MINISTÉRIO DA SAÚDE. Portaria nº 2914 de 12 DE DEZEMBRO 2011. Brasília: ministério da Saúde, 2011.

FONOLLOSA E.; NIETO A.; PENALVER A.; AGUILAR C.; BORRULL F. Presence of radionuclides in sludge from conventional drinking water treatment plants: A review. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity v. 141, 2015.

IBGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Painel das cidades. Available at: . Last accessed: Jul. 2017.

KLEINSCHMIDT, R.; AKBER, R. Naturally occurring radionuclides in materials derived from urban water treatment plants in southeast Queensland, Australia. J. Environ. Radioact. v. 99, p. 607–620, 2008.

LYT LE, D. A.; SORG, T.; WANG, LILI; CHEN, A. The accumulation of radioactive contaminants in drinking water distribution systems. Water research v. 50, p. 396 – 407, 2014.

PALOMO, M.; PEÑALVER, A.; AGUILAR, C.; BORRULL, F. Presence of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in sludge samples from several Spanish water treatment plants. Journal of Hazardous Materials v. 181, p. 716–721, 2010a.

PALOMO, M.; PEÑALVER, A.; AGUILAR, C.; BORRULL, F. Radioactivity evaluation of Ebro river water and sludge treated in a potable water treatment plant located in the South of Catalonia (Spain). Applied Radiation and Isotopes v. 68, p. 474–480, 2010b.

SABESP - Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo. Usos benéficos de lodos de estações de tratamento de água. Available at: . Last accessed: Jun. 2017.

USEPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency. A Regulators’ Guide to the Management of Radioactive Residuals from Drinking Water Treatment Technologies. United States, Environmental Protection Agency, 2005.

WISSER, S. Balancing Natural Radionuclides in Drinking Water Supply. Doctoral Thesis, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, 2003.

WHO - World Health Organization. Guidelines for drinking-water quality - 4th ed. 4.Guidelines. I.World Health Organization. ISBN 978 92 4 154815 1 (NLM classification: WA 675), 2011.

Downloads

Published

2019-02-25

How to Cite

de Almeida Albuquerque, A. M. (2019). Determination of natural radionuclides in waste generated in the potable water treatment plants of the Zona da Mata of the state of Pernambuco- Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences, 7(2A (Suppl.). https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v7i2A.763

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.