Survey of total radioactivity in drinking well water around Bayanwula uranium mine
10.3760/cma.j.cn112271-20220329-00129
- VernacularTitle:巴彦乌拉铀矿周围饮用井水中总放射性水平调查
- Author:
Zhichao SUN
1
;
Shuai ZHANG
;
Wenming HE
;
Yulong BAO
;
Xiao XU
;
Chengguo WANG
;
Xiang LIU
Author Information
1. 内蒙古自治区综合疾病预防控制中心 内蒙古自治区医疗卫生放射卫生学重点实验室，呼和浩特 010031
- Keywords:
Bayanwula uranium mine;
Drinking well water;
Total α and β radioactivity;
Dry season;
Wet season
- From:
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection
2022;42(7):527-530
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the total radioactivity in drinking well water around the Bayanwula uranium mine.Methods:Totally 174 samples of drinking well water and 5 samples of filtered well water from residential houses were collected during dry and wet seasons in 2020 around the Bayanwula uranium mine. Total α and total β radioactivity in dry season and wet season were analyzed for detrmining whether there were differences between them and the relation between total radioactivity with different locations away from the uranium center. The radioactivity in filtered drinking well water used in residential houses was also investigated. Radioactivity were measured and analyzed using low background alpha and beta radioactivity meters, and the data were analysed using SPSS analytical statistical method.Results:In the drinking well water around Bayanwula uranium mine, the activity concentrations of total α and β measured in dry season were 0.024-2.468 Bq/L with a mean of (0.605±0.507) Bq/L and 0.125-1.395 Bq/L with a mean of (0.420±0.235) Bq/L, respectively. The values measured in wet season were 0.049-2.988 Bq/L with a mean of (0.825±0.605) Bq/L for total α and 0.059-1.623 Bq/L with a mean of (0.506±0.265) Bq/L for total β, respectively. The average value of total radioactivity in water samples was lower within 10, 30 and 20 km of the uranium mine in the descending order.Conclusions:The radioactivity in well water around the Bayanwula uranium mine is high, with the total α and β in samples greater in wet season than in the dry season and without elevated levels as compared to the pre-mining background.
