Abstract The present study was conducted to characterize several raw materials and co-products from the titanium dioxide industry in relation to their elemental composition (major, minor and trace elements), granulometry, mineralogy, microscopic morphology and physical composition. The main objective was to gain basic information for the future potential application of these co-products in fields such Read more about Physicochemical characterization of raw materials and co-products from the titanium dioxide industry[…]

Abstract In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the occupational and public hazards of the radiological impact of non-nuclear industries which process materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides. These include the industries devoted to the production of phosphoric acid by treating sedimentary phosphate rocks enriched in radionuclides from the uranium series. With the Read more about Behaviour and fluxes of natural radionuclides in the production process of a phosphoric acid plant[…]

Behaviour and fluxes of natural radionuclides in the production process of a phosphoric acid plant Abstract In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the occupational and public hazards of the radiological impact of non-nuclear industries which process materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides. These include the industries devoted to the production of phosphoric Read more about Behaviour and fluxes of natural radionuclides in the production process of a phosphoric acid plant[…]

Abstract The determination of 90Sr through the Cerenkov radiation emitted by its descendant 90Y is a well-known method and firmly established in literature. Nevertheless, in order to obtain an accurate result based on a Cerenkov measurement, the experimental work must be extremely rigorous because the efficiency of Cerenkov counting is especially sensitive to the presence Read more about Colour quenching corrections on the measurement of 90Sr through Cerenkov counting[…]

Abstract In this paper, 238U-series radionuclides have been analysed in particulate matter samples collected at a phosphogypsum stack system located near the city of Huelva (SW Spain) during the course of 1 year. The results have been compared to those collected at a reference (background) site located a few km away, in order to establish if Read more about Radioactivity levels in aerosol particles surrounding a large TENORM waste repository after application of preliminary restoration work[…]

Abstract A large industrial wastes disposal site, where two phosphate rock processing plants release their wastes, located close to Huelva town (SW of Spain), has been partially submitted to restoration as a preliminary step in a possible decomissioning process. Due to the high natural radioactivity contents of these wastes, this repository is considered as a Read more about An assay on the effect of preliminary restoration tasks applied to a large TENORM wastes disposal in the south-west of Spain[…]

Abstract A simple method for the determination in sediment samples of low-energy gamma-emitters with coaxial Ge detectors and using a cylindrical sample geometry is outlined. This method allows an easy estimation of self-absorption effects by knowing the apparent densities and the composition of the investigated samples. As calibration matrixes solid samples enriched in known amounts Read more about A semi-empirical approach for determination of low-energy gamma-emmiters in sediment samples with coaxial Ge-detectors[…]

Abstract Riverbed sediments from an estuary historically affected by wastes discharged by several phosphate fertiliser plants and enriched in uranium-series radionuclides were operationally speciated using a Tessier-based method. In each selective fraction the 226Ra content was determined by alpha-particle spectrometry after radiochemical isolation and electrodeposition onto stainless steel planchets. These studies were performed in 226Ra-polluted Read more about Sequential extraction of 226Ra in sediments from an estuary affected historically by anthropogenic inputs of natural radionuclides[…]

Abstract In this work, we have analysed the geographical distribution of the U-isotopes concentrations in the waters of the Almonte-Marismas aquifer, located at the south of Spain. During the year 2000, a systematic sampling was carried out, being all the samples analysed for U isotopes by alpha-particle spectrometry, both in the dissolution and suspended phases. Read more about Uranium-Isotopes Determinations In Waters From Almonte-Marismas Aquifer (Southern Spain)[…]

Abstract In this paper a simple method for the direct analysis of 210Pb (T1/2=22.3 years) by gamma-ray spectrometry in sediment samples with coaxial Ge detectors is outlined. This method, developed for a cylindrical sample geometry, accounts for variable sample heights and provides a fundamental advantage: individual self-absorption corrections can easily be determined knowing the apparent Read more about 210Pb determination by gamma spectrometry in voluminal samples (cylindrical geometry)[…]