Pb-210 irradiation dose estimation for inhabitants living in high natural background areas on Pernambuco/Brazil

Abstract

This work was designed to: (a) determine 210Pb concentration in human urine samples of inhabitants of two regions with high natural radiation in the state of Pernambuco – Brazil; (b) estimate radiation dose in bones as a result of this radionuclide incorporation. For this, urine samples of healthy and non-smoker subjects were studied. Pb-210 was separated by ion-exchange resin technique followed by beta counting, which were conducted in a Canberra Tennelec S5E detector. Concentrations of 210Pb in the urine samples of inhabitants from one region varied from 65 to 267 mBq.l–1, while the other ranged from 62 to 440 mBq.l–1. The maximum annual dose estimated in bones for individuals from the first region was about 0.81 nSv and about 1.33 nSv for inhabitants of the second one. In this report, the methodology employed, the results and the radiation-induced health effects are presented as well as discussed.