Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania

Firmi P. Banzi; Peter K. Msaki; Najat K. Mohammed

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

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Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania

Firmi P. Banzi, Peter K. Msaki, Najat K. Mohammed

Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 4, Issue 5)

Received: 29 July 2016 Accepted: 11 August 2016 Published: 29 August 2016

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Abstract

Consistent with best practices in uranium mining, the collection and use of site characterisation data are indispensable to ensure compliance with regulations. To comply with this requirement, two samples from each of the 47 locations were collected in an area of about 1300 km² in the vicinity and concession area of the Mkuju River Project. The samples were analysed for radioactivity using alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations were used to estimate health risks attributable to the consumption of drinking water containing radionuclides. The range of activity concentrations (mBqL^-1) were much higher in groundwater collected from the concession area for ²³⁸U (79.89 to 87.06), ²³⁴U (79.44 to 88.38), ²²⁶Ra (41.61 to 59.07), ²³²Th (5.32 to 9.41), and ²²⁸Ra (3.98 to 8.59) than in groundwater for ²³⁸U (20.61 to 47.21), ²³⁴U (21.70 to 49.10), ²²⁶Ra (16.80 to 43.45), ²³²Th (0.12 to 2.80), and ²²⁸Ra (0.10 to 2.43), and surface water for ²³⁸U (17.33 to 27.24), ²³⁴U (21.06 to 34.43), ²²⁶Ra (15.00 to 25.61), ²³²Th (0.16 to 2.10), and ²²⁸Ra (0.12 to 1.99) collected in the vicinity of the project. The calculated annual effective doses and carcinogenic risks resulting from the activity concentrations in drinking water were relatively marginal, since the activity concentrations were lower than the WHO permissible limits for drinking water. These findings suggest that the water resources at MRP are safe. Thus, since this study was conducted before mining activities, these data can be used as a baseline for monitoring potential future water pollution around the Mkuju River Project.

Published in	International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 4, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
Page(s)	111-119
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Baseline, Radioactivity, Mkuju River Project, Water Pollution

References

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Firmi P. Banzi, Peter K. Msaki, Najat K. Mohammed. (2016). Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 4(5), 111-119. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

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ACS Style

Firmi P. Banzi; Peter K. Msaki; Najat K. Mohammed. Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2016, 4(5), 111-119. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

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AMA Style

Firmi P. Banzi, Peter K. Msaki, Najat K. Mohammed. Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2016;4(5):111-119. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11,
  author = {Firmi P. Banzi and Peter K. Msaki and Najat K. Mohammed},
  title = {Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
  volume = {4},
  number = {5},
  pages = {111-119},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20160405.11},
  abstract = {Consistent with best practices in uranium mining, the collection and use of site characterisation data are indispensable to ensure compliance with regulations. To comply with this requirement, two samples from each of the 47 locations were collected in an area of about 1300 km2 in the vicinity and concession area of the Mkuju River Project. The samples were analysed for radioactivity using alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations were used to estimate health risks attributable to the consumption of drinking water containing radionuclides. The range of activity concentrations (mBqL-1) were much higher in groundwater collected from the concession area for 238U (79.89 to 87.06), 234U (79.44 to 88.38), 226Ra (41.61 to 59.07), 232Th (5.32 to 9.41), and 228Ra (3.98 to 8.59) than in groundwater for 238U (20.61 to 47.21), 234U (21.70 to 49.10), 226Ra (16.80 to 43.45), 232Th (0.12 to 2.80), and 228Ra (0.10 to 2.43), and surface water for 238U (17.33 to 27.24), 234U (21.06 to 34.43), 226Ra (15.00 to 25.61), 232Th (0.16 to 2.10), and 228Ra (0.12 to 1.99) collected in the vicinity of the project. The calculated annual effective doses and carcinogenic risks resulting from the activity concentrations in drinking water were relatively marginal, since the activity concentrations were lower than the WHO permissible limits for drinking water. These findings suggest that the water resources at MRP are safe. Thus, since this study was conducted before mining activities, these data can be used as a baseline for monitoring potential future water pollution around the Mkuju River Project.},
 year = {2016}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania
AU  - Firmi P. Banzi
AU  - Peter K. Msaki
AU  - Najat K. Mohammed
Y1  - 2016/08/29
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
SP  - 111
EP  - 119
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7536
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
AB  - Consistent with best practices in uranium mining, the collection and use of site characterisation data are indispensable to ensure compliance with regulations. To comply with this requirement, two samples from each of the 47 locations were collected in an area of about 1300 km2 in the vicinity and concession area of the Mkuju River Project. The samples were analysed for radioactivity using alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations were used to estimate health risks attributable to the consumption of drinking water containing radionuclides. The range of activity concentrations (mBqL-1) were much higher in groundwater collected from the concession area for 238U (79.89 to 87.06), 234U (79.44 to 88.38), 226Ra (41.61 to 59.07), 232Th (5.32 to 9.41), and 228Ra (3.98 to 8.59) than in groundwater for 238U (20.61 to 47.21), 234U (21.70 to 49.10), 226Ra (16.80 to 43.45), 232Th (0.12 to 2.80), and 228Ra (0.10 to 2.43), and surface water for 238U (17.33 to 27.24), 234U (21.06 to 34.43), 226Ra (15.00 to 25.61), 232Th (0.16 to 2.10), and 228Ra (0.12 to 1.99) collected in the vicinity of the project. The calculated annual effective doses and carcinogenic risks resulting from the activity concentrations in drinking water were relatively marginal, since the activity concentrations were lower than the WHO permissible limits for drinking water. These findings suggest that the water resources at MRP are safe. Thus, since this study was conducted before mining activities, these data can be used as a baseline for monitoring potential future water pollution around the Mkuju River Project.
VL  - 4
IS  - 5
ER  -

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Author Information

Firmi P. Banzi

Department of Physics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Peter K. Msaki

Department of Physics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Najat K. Mohammed

Department of Physics, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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Firmi P. Banzi, Peter K. Msaki, Najat K. Mohammed. (2016). Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 4(5), 111-119. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

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ACS Style

Firmi P. Banzi; Peter K. Msaki; Najat K. Mohammed. Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2016, 4(5), 111-119. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

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AMA Style

Firmi P. Banzi, Peter K. Msaki, Najat K. Mohammed. Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2016;4(5):111-119. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11,
  author = {Firmi P. Banzi and Peter K. Msaki and Najat K. Mohammed},
  title = {Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
  volume = {4},
  number = {5},
  pages = {111-119},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20160405.11},
  abstract = {Consistent with best practices in uranium mining, the collection and use of site characterisation data are indispensable to ensure compliance with regulations. To comply with this requirement, two samples from each of the 47 locations were collected in an area of about 1300 km2 in the vicinity and concession area of the Mkuju River Project. The samples were analysed for radioactivity using alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations were used to estimate health risks attributable to the consumption of drinking water containing radionuclides. The range of activity concentrations (mBqL-1) were much higher in groundwater collected from the concession area for 238U (79.89 to 87.06), 234U (79.44 to 88.38), 226Ra (41.61 to 59.07), 232Th (5.32 to 9.41), and 228Ra (3.98 to 8.59) than in groundwater for 238U (20.61 to 47.21), 234U (21.70 to 49.10), 226Ra (16.80 to 43.45), 232Th (0.12 to 2.80), and 228Ra (0.10 to 2.43), and surface water for 238U (17.33 to 27.24), 234U (21.06 to 34.43), 226Ra (15.00 to 25.61), 232Th (0.16 to 2.10), and 228Ra (0.12 to 1.99) collected in the vicinity of the project. The calculated annual effective doses and carcinogenic risks resulting from the activity concentrations in drinking water were relatively marginal, since the activity concentrations were lower than the WHO permissible limits for drinking water. These findings suggest that the water resources at MRP are safe. Thus, since this study was conducted before mining activities, these data can be used as a baseline for monitoring potential future water pollution around the Mkuju River Project.},
 year = {2016}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Natural Radioactivity in Water and Its Potential Human Health Risk in the Vicinity of Mkuju River Uranium Project in Tanzania
AU  - Firmi P. Banzi
AU  - Peter K. Msaki
AU  - Najat K. Mohammed
Y1  - 2016/08/29
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
SP  - 111
EP  - 119
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7536
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160405.11
AB  - Consistent with best practices in uranium mining, the collection and use of site characterisation data are indispensable to ensure compliance with regulations. To comply with this requirement, two samples from each of the 47 locations were collected in an area of about 1300 km2 in the vicinity and concession area of the Mkuju River Project. The samples were analysed for radioactivity using alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations were used to estimate health risks attributable to the consumption of drinking water containing radionuclides. The range of activity concentrations (mBqL-1) were much higher in groundwater collected from the concession area for 238U (79.89 to 87.06), 234U (79.44 to 88.38), 226Ra (41.61 to 59.07), 232Th (5.32 to 9.41), and 228Ra (3.98 to 8.59) than in groundwater for 238U (20.61 to 47.21), 234U (21.70 to 49.10), 226Ra (16.80 to 43.45), 232Th (0.12 to 2.80), and 228Ra (0.10 to 2.43), and surface water for 238U (17.33 to 27.24), 234U (21.06 to 34.43), 226Ra (15.00 to 25.61), 232Th (0.16 to 2.10), and 228Ra (0.12 to 1.99) collected in the vicinity of the project. The calculated annual effective doses and carcinogenic risks resulting from the activity concentrations in drinking water were relatively marginal, since the activity concentrations were lower than the WHO permissible limits for drinking water. These findings suggest that the water resources at MRP are safe. Thus, since this study was conducted before mining activities, these data can be used as a baseline for monitoring potential future water pollution around the Mkuju River Project.
VL  - 4
IS  - 5
ER  -

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