Neutron Induced Fission Track Estimation of Uranium Concentration and Its Associated Health Hazards in Drinking Water of the Faisalabad Industrial City

Abstract

<p align="justify"> <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Drinking water plays a major role regarding quality of human life because polluted water is the main cause of many types of diseases. Besides other pollutants, high concentration of uranium above a certain level in drinking water is also hazardous. As water and food are the main sources of uranium intake, it is absolutely imperative that their level of concentrations </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">is</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> monitored regularly for safety of the general public. In this regard, trace amount of uranium in drinking water samples collected from different locations of Faisalabadcity has been carried out using Neutron Induced Fission Track Technique. The water samples along with the standard of known uranium concentration were poured and dried over Lexan track detectors and then irradiated with thermal neutrons in Reactor. After etching, the tracks produced in the detectors as a result of </span>^{<span style="font-family:Verdana;">235</span>}<span style="font-family:Verdana;">U (n, f) reaction were counted under an optical microscope. The uranium concentration was determined by counting and comparing the observed fission track density in the samples and the standard. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The observed u</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ranium concentration in the studied water samples varied from (1.04 ± 0.30) μg<span style="font-family:宋体;font-size:9pt;">·</span>L^-1</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> to (21.08 ± 2. 95) μg<span style="font-family:宋体;font-size:9pt;">·</span>L^-1</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> with an average value of (7.39 ± 1.30) μg<span style="font-family:宋体;font-size:9pt;">·</span>L^-1</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> a</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">nd is found to be within safe limits as far as uranium related health hazards are concerned</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">.</span><span></span> </p> <p> <span></span> </p

Evaluation of uranium concentration in soil samples of Al-Diwaniya governorates using ICP-mass techniques

“…Fourty nine samples of soils distributed in Al-Diwaniya center, Al-ghanam, Al-shamr, Albarakat, Al-aqarae, Al-khazraj, Alamisar Al-farahina, Al-thawra, Alsabahi, Albu-shrifa, Alsinidal, Alhuriya, Aljumhuriu, Al-sdeer, Al-shawfa, Al-ttabu, Al-askari, Al-karama, Aldawr Alshanaafia, Almuealimin, Alkhasf, Alsaray, Al-fawar, Al-daraeia, Afak Center, Aleayn, fadalallah, Alkarama, alsaray and Al-dighara districts in Al-Diwaniya governorate were taken from location of study, from depth (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15) cm than the sample s were cleaned. .…”

“…The ICP-MS can carry out U determination by the isotope dilution method which is considered the most precise for quantitative analysis. Some researchers have used FI technique for separation/ preconcentration of U and determination by the isotope dilution method to improve sensitivity and precision and detection capabilities [14,15].…”