(1976). Nuclear Tracks in Solids (Principles and Applications) Nuclear Technology: Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 91-92.

Nuclear Tracks in Solids (Principles and Applications)

Studies on the nuclear tracks in CR-39 plastics

Estimation of uranium and radon concentration in some drinking water samples

Uranium and radon concentration was assessed in water samples taken from hand pumps, natural sources and wells collected from some areas of Upper Siwaliks, Northern India. Fission track registration technique was used to estimate the uranium content of water samples. The uranium concentration in water samples was found to vary from 1.08 +/- 0.03 to 19.68 +/- 0.12 microg l(-1). These values were compared with safe limit values recommended for drinking water. Most of the water samples were found to have uranium concentration below the safe limit of 15 microg l(-1) (WHO, World Health Organization, Guidelines for drinking-water quality (3rd ed.). Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 2004). The radon estimation in these water samples was made using alpha-scintillometry to study its correlation with uranium. The radon concentration in these samples was found to vary from 0.87 +/- 0.29 to 32.10 +/- 1.79 Bq l(-1). The recorded values of radon concentration were within the recommended safe limit of 4 to 40 Bq l(-1) (UNSCEAR, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiations, Sources and effects of ionizing radiation. New York: United Nations, 1993). No direct correlation was found between uranium concentration and radon concentration in water samples belonging to Upper Siwaliks. The values of uranium and radon concentration in water were compared with that from the adjoining areas of Punjab state, India.

Estimation of uranium and radon concentration in some drinking water samples of Upper Siwaliks, India.

Uranium concentrations in the drinking water samples collected mainly from hand pumps along the Amritsar to Bathinda track are presented. Uranium concentration values in these samples show a wide range of variation depending upon different factors like source, location, depth and local geology etc. The observed uranium content in water samples has been found to be varying from 0.9 ± 0.08 to 63 ± 0.21 ppb and even the radon activity in ground water observed in our earlier survey carried out in this area has been found to be increasing from Amritsar towards Bathinda. The higher values were observed from the ground water samples particularly of the areas falling in belt from Zira to Maur towards the Haryana border. The values observed at certain locations are found to be higher than the highest recommended value of 15 ppb [1]. The high uranium concentration observed particularly in certain areas along this track can be attributed due to interaction of ground water with the soil formation of this region and the local subsurface geology of the region.

Uranium concentration in drinking water samples using the SSNTDs

Part 1 describes the elements of solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) including detector materials (crystals, glasses, and polymers), recordable particles (protons, α-particles, fission fragments, heavy ions, neutrons, and exotic particles), track formation mechanisms, track etching, particle identification, and track measuring instruments. Part 2 describes applications in nuclear physics, astrophysics, cosmic-ray physics, fission track dating and geothermal chronology, medical science, radiation dosimetry, Rn monitoring, environmental sciences, and nanotechnology. Attention is paid to the newly emerged fields: laser acceleration, laser inertial-confinement fusion, nuclear forensics, and safeguards. The internal structure in this chapter is closely linked between materials, particles, and applications; when describing one of these, the other two are introduced. The above structure of this chapter was organized for the benefit of the reader by providing the current principles and techniques together with the broad research fields of application of SSNTDs. Numerous detector parameters and applications are provided. Essential literature references are provided for detailed information on breakthroughs and recent advances.

Bao-Liu Chen

Papers

Solid-state nuclear track detectors