title: The study of natural and artificial radionuclides incorporation in teeth and head bones of animals lived nearby Caetité uranium mine, Brazil.
abstract: This study aimed at assessing the incorporation of radionuclides in animals in the proximity of the uranium mine in Caetité, Brazil. In 2014, samples of bovine and equine teeth and skull bones were collected and their contents of natural and artificial isotopes were assessed using nuclear spectrometry techniques. Gamma ray emission from226,228Ra and40K isotopes was determined using high-purity germanium (HPGe) spectrometry,90Sr radioactivity was measured with liquid scintillation, and234,238U,232,230,228Th,210Po and239+240Pu radioactivity was assessed with alpha-spectrometry. Prior to the measurements, sample dissolutions and isotope separations were performed. Our results indicate a high228Th isotope content in the skull bones and the teeth of animals, up to 179 Bq per kg of ash. The226Ra and228Ra concentrations were slightly lower. Activity concentrations of other isotopes were significantly lower or below the detection limit. We could not identify sources of technologically enhanced levels of228Ra in the area we investigated; therefore we suggest that their origin is natural.
authors.affiliation: University of Silesia, Institute of Physics, Department of Nuclear Physics and Its Applications, Uniwersytecka 4 St., 40-007 Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: agata.walencik@us.edu.pl.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walencik-Łata
authors.affiliation: University of Silesia, Institute of Physics, Department of Nuclear Physics and Its Applications, Uniwersytecka 4 St., 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kozłowska
authors.affiliation: The H. Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mietelski
authors.affiliation: The H. Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szufa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon, s/n 49100-000 São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon, s/n 49100-000 São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005857:Germanium; D006736:Horses; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011851:Radioactivity; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D014501:Uranium
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D005857:Germanium; D014501:Uranium; D011883:Radium
keywords: Radioisotope incorporation; Radionuclide bioindicator; Radium; Thorium; Uranium