[en] The concentrations of total dissolved uranium (U), its isotopic composition ("2"3"4U, "2"3"5U, "2"3"8U) and two long lived Ra isotopes ("2"2"6Ra and "2"2"8Ra) in alluvial aquifers of groundwater were determined to investigate the groundwater flow pattern in the south-western (SW) Punjab, India. Particular attention was given to the spatial variability of activity ratios (ARs) of "2"3"4U/"2"3"8U and "2"2"6Ra/"2"2"8Ra to predict the possible sources and supply process of U into the water from the solid phase. The measured groundwater "2"3"4U/"2"3"8U ARs were ∼1 or >1 in the shallow zone (depth < 30 m) with high U concentration and <1 in the deeper zone (depth > 30 m) with relatively low U concentration. The simultaneous elevated U concentration and "2"3"4U/"2"3"8U ARs in waters were possibly due to differences in imprints of rock–water interactions under hydrologic conditions. However, "2"3"4U/"2"3"8U ARs < 1 clearly indicate the lack of recharge from surface water to groundwater leading to "2"3"4U deficit in groundwater. This deficit might be also attributed to alpha recoil processes under strong dissolution. Overall, the decreasing pattern of "2"3"4U/"2"3"8U ARs observed from SE to SW or NW ward clearly indicates a groundwater flow paths from SE to SW/NW. Similarly, "2"2"6Ra/"2"3"8U ARs < 1 for all water samples reflect that the precursor "2"3"8U is fairly mobile relative to "2"2"6Ra. This might be due to unusually high amount of "2"3"8U in groundwaters and subsequently the different geochemistry of the two isotopes. On the other hand, "2"2"6Ra/"2"2"8Ra ARs in groundwaters varied widely and observed about 50–300 times higher than "2"3"8U/"2"3"2Th ARs in granitic rocks or soils. Such elevation in ARs might be attributed to different dissolution properties of their parents during water–rock interactions or lattice damage during decay or local enrichments of uranium in the aquifers. - Highlights: • Spatial variation of total dissolved U, "2"2"6Ra and their isotopic ratios ("2"3"4U/"2"3"8U &"2"2"6Ra/"2"2"8Ra in groundwater. • To establish the correlations among U-series radionuclides. • Variations in isotopic ratios of U and long lived Ra isotopes with depth of groundwater. • Identification of preferential groundwater flow path and mixing using isotopic ratios of U-series radionuclides. • An overview of literatures on past studies.

[en] Spatial distribution of uranium and associated water quality parameters in drinking water samples in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh was carried out under National Uranium Project (NUP) of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). In this study 133 drinking water samples were collected during pre and post-monsoon and analysed for uranium and sixteen water quality parameters using BARC standard protocol. Fluoride, chloride, nitrate and sulphate levels in the water samples in pre- and post-monsoon were found to be less than BIS acceptable limits. U levels is found to vary from < 0.1 - 5.3 ppb and < 0.1 - 8.8 ppb in pre- and post-monsoon, respectively. (author)

[en] In the earth’s crust, the most commonly encountered naturally occurring radionuclides are ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, their decay products and ⁴⁰K. These are also a source of natural external radiation exposure due to their gamma-ray emissions. Their concentration in soil, sand and rocks depends upon their geological and geographical origin. The widely varying content of such radionuclides, prevalent in soils is an essential input for understanding the natural radiation background and any changes in it. During the past decades, agricultural activities in the Indo Gangetic plains of India have widely expanded causing an escalation in the application of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides to increase crop production. Inorganic, especially phosphate (P) fertilizers, contain hazardous elements including, heavy metals (Cd, Cr, and Pb) and radioactive elements (U, Th and their daughters), which are considered to be toxic to human and animal health. These anthroprogenic activities can impact the distribution and bioavailability of radionuclides in the terrestrial environment. In this context, the present work will provide a reference data for estimating the change in environmental radiation levels as these radionuclides can also serve as excellent biochemical and geochemical tracers in the environment

[en] This paper presents the results of environmental radiological monitoring work carried out in the environs of Narora Atomic Power Station. The data on tritium concentration in air and water as well as the radiocesium and radiostrontium concentrations in water and dietary items in different zones up to 30 km are presented for the years 1990-99. The concentration of radiocesium and radiostrontium in dietary items are found to be at global fallout levels and hence not attributed to NAPS operational discharges. The methodologies employed for computation of external doses to fission product noble gases (FPNG) and ⁴¹Ar releases using site-specific diffusion climatology and internal doses mainly due to tritium releases are described. The average maximum committed effective dose at fence post, 1.6 km and other radial zones 1.6-5 km, 5-10 km, 10-16 km and 16-30 km are given. (author)

[en] Major proportion of tritium in the environment is found as tritiated water (HTO). HTO is present in the environment due to natural production and releases from NPPs particularly heavy water moderated and cooled power reactors. Since HTO behaves similar to water, it may enter in to plants via root soil and air exchange. It may get organically bound during photosynthesis and exchange by growing plants. In the present work groundnut (Arachis hypogia hypo) and onion (Allium cepa) were grown in laboratory and HTO exposure was given through root soil. Periodic samples were collected and TFT as well OBT were estimated at time intervals. Mathematical model for TFT and OBT have been developed using retained activity at different times in these plants. (author)

[en] The cosmogenic radionuclide ⁷Be (T_1/2 = 53.3 d), produced in the upper atmosphere by cosmic ray spallation of oxygen nitrogen can be used as tracer for heavy metals, pollutants in the environment, tracer of soil erosion and sedimentation in lakes etc. occurs as wet and dry fallout in the land surface. This paper presents the results obtained of ⁷Be concentrations measured during 2016 and 2017 by non-destructive gamma-ray spectrometry using HPGe detector (50% RE) in samples of air at ground level, each one month, and rainfall in all the rainy events that occurred at NAPS, Narora and were correlated to seasons, precipitation, and temperature. The higher values obtained for the concentrations were in spring and summer time presenting good correlations with the amount of precipitation and a clear seasonal variation. (author)

[en] The present study is based on the follow up study of a case of ⁶⁰Co internal contamination using whole body counting and bioassay analysis. The effect of medical intervention applied on the subject is studied. Medical intervention with D-penicillamine (250 mg x 4 daily) orally was administered from thirteenth day of initial exposure for about a fortnight, which showed reduction of activity present by 33.4% through urine. (author)

[en] Guidelines for the assessment of internal doses from monitoring suggest default measurement of uncertainties (i.e. lognormal scattering factor, SF) to be used for different types of monitoring data. In this paper, SF values have been evaluated for internal contamination due to ⁶⁰Co in two cases using whole body counting data. SF values of 1.04 and 1.03 were obtained for case I and II respectively while SF value of 1.03 was obtained using bioassay data for case I. SF evaluated is in good agreement with the default values given by IDEAS guidelines. (author)

[en] ¹³⁷Cs is one of the fission products in nuclear power plant and is present all over in environment due to the global fall out. It can incorporate and transport, through various processes in the soil including environmental parameters such as dispersion, dilution, solubility and chemical reactions and it is also be influenced by soil characteristics (pH, soil texture, organic matter etc), land use pattern, fallout pattern of ¹³⁷Cs, climatic circumstances etc. Wheat being main cereal crop is grown in most parts of northern India. Therefore it is important to monitor ¹³⁷Cs activity in the wheat samples collected near vicinity of a nuclear facility

[en] Uranium is a widely known lithophilic and naturally occurring heavy trace element found mostly in earth crust and acidic igneous rocks such as granites and soils but its concentrations are found variable in soils, rocks, different type of minerals, food materials and water sources. It is well known that radioactive elements cause both radiological and chemical hazard to the living systems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) chemically, minimum contaminant level (MCL) or guideline limit of for uranium is 30 µg/l. Considering the fact that river Ganges is the largest river in India spread over almost 2,525 km long from Gangotri to Bay of Bengal and its basin covers about 8,61,404 km"2. Alaknanda river is one of the tributaries of Ganges river which joins river Bhagirathi at Devprayag and named afterwards as Ganges river. This study was aimed to obtain a baseline data for uranium concentration in the Alaknanda and Ganges river water