Radônio em área de extração de carvão mineral no município de Figueira (PR)
Arquivos
Data
2018-05-02
Autores
Salim, Leonardo Alfredo [UNESP]
Título da Revista
ISSN da Revista
Título de Volume
Editor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
O gás radônio, resultado do decaimento radioativo do 238U e 232Th, é motivo de grande preocupação para o homem. Ele é uma das mais importantes fontes de radiação ionizante de origem natural que as pessoas estão expostas, sendo considerado pela OMS (Organização Mundial da Saúde) como o segundo maior causador de câncer de pulmão. O carvão mineral como qualquer outro combustível fóssil está associado a materiais radioativos naturais, devido principalmente ao seu conteúdo de 238U e 232Th. Para a compreensão do comportamento do gás radônio em área de mineração de carvão e determinar o grau de exposição das pessoas ao gás nesta área, foram determinadas a taxa de exalação de radônio de amostras de carvão, cinza, siltito e tufo vulcânico coletadas na mina Amado Simões PI-08 (Companhia Carbonífera do Cambuí), em Figueira (PR), a concentração de radônio no ar do interior da mina e a concentração de radônio, parâmetros físicos e químicos dos solos próximos à mina. As taxas de exalações foram obtidas por curvas experimentais da concentração de radônio em função do tempo, e variaram de 0,064 a 0,717 Bq/kg.h. Observou-se que o gás radônio entrou em equilíbrio radioativo após 180 horas de análise. A concentrações de radônio dissolvido no ar do interior da mina variaram de 7,2 a 770,5 Bq/m³, observou-se que o radônio tem maior escape das rochas por fraturas presentes nas frentes de lavra e que maior taxa de exalação vem das rochas encaixantes, remetendo em um problema radiológico à área de descarte. A concentrações de radônio nas amostras de solo variaram de 0,04 a 276,48 (kBq/m³), a qual obteve correlação com a concentração de U, que variou de 0,43 a 8,46 ppm. Observou-se a tendência do radônio se acumular em ambientes com maior concentração de urânio, úmidos, aluminosos, argilosos e com presença de matéria orgânica.
Radon gas, the result of the radioactive decay of 238U and 232Th, is a matter of great concern to man. It is one of the most important sources of naturally occurring ionizing radiation that people are exposed to and is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be the second largest cause of lung cancer. Mineral coal like any other fossil fuel is associated with natural radioactive materials, mainly due to its content of 238U and 232Th. In order to understand the behavior of the radon gas in the coal mining area and determine the degree of exposure of the people to the gas in this area, the radon exhalation rate of samples of coal, ash, silt, and volcanic tuff collected at the Amado mine Simões PI-08 (Companhia Carbonífera do Cambuí), in Figueira (PR), the radon concentration in the air inside the mine and the radon concentration, physical and chemical parameters of the soils near the mine. The exhalation rates were obtained by experimental curves of the radon concentration as a function of time, and ranged from 0.064 to 0.717 Bq / kg.h. It was observed that the radon gas entered into radioactive equilibrium after 180 hours of analysis. The concentrations of radon dissolved in the air inside the mine varied from 7.2 to 770.5 Bq / m³, it was observed that the radon has greater escape of the rocks by fractures present in the mining fronts and that higher exhalation rate comes from encasing rocks, sending in a radiological problem to the area of discard. The concentrations of radon in the soil samples ranged from 0.04 to 276.48 (kBq / m³), which correlated with the U concentration, which ranged from 0.43 to 8.46 ppm. It was observed the tendency of radon to accumulate in environments with higher concentration of uranium, humid, aluminous, clayey and with presence of organic matter.
Radon gas, the result of the radioactive decay of 238U and 232Th, is a matter of great concern to man. It is one of the most important sources of naturally occurring ionizing radiation that people are exposed to and is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be the second largest cause of lung cancer. Mineral coal like any other fossil fuel is associated with natural radioactive materials, mainly due to its content of 238U and 232Th. In order to understand the behavior of the radon gas in the coal mining area and determine the degree of exposure of the people to the gas in this area, the radon exhalation rate of samples of coal, ash, silt, and volcanic tuff collected at the Amado mine Simões PI-08 (Companhia Carbonífera do Cambuí), in Figueira (PR), the radon concentration in the air inside the mine and the radon concentration, physical and chemical parameters of the soils near the mine. The exhalation rates were obtained by experimental curves of the radon concentration as a function of time, and ranged from 0.064 to 0.717 Bq / kg.h. It was observed that the radon gas entered into radioactive equilibrium after 180 hours of analysis. The concentrations of radon dissolved in the air inside the mine varied from 7.2 to 770.5 Bq / m³, it was observed that the radon has greater escape of the rocks by fractures present in the mining fronts and that higher exhalation rate comes from encasing rocks, sending in a radiological problem to the area of discard. The concentrations of radon in the soil samples ranged from 0.04 to 276.48 (kBq / m³), which correlated with the U concentration, which ranged from 0.43 to 8.46 ppm. It was observed the tendency of radon to accumulate in environments with higher concentration of uranium, humid, aluminous, clayey and with presence of organic matter.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Radônio, Carvão mineral, Taxa de exalação, Radiação, Radon, Mineral coal, Exhalation rate, Radiation