Uranium Concentration in Some Medical Herbs

Uranium concentration and the annual committed effective dose in some selected medicinal plants commonly used in Iraq have been determined using fission tracks technique etch in twelve medical plants samples using CR-39 track detector. The results show that the uranium concentration ranged from 0.044±0.021 ppm in Thyme sample to 0.2±0.03 ppm in Black Pepper and Cardamom samples with an average value of 0.14 ±0.0 4ppm. The average annual effective dose due to ingestion of uranium radionuclide was 13.77x10 -5 mSv/y, which is below the world average annual committed effective dose of 0.3 mSv/y for ingestion of natural radionuclides.

A Modelling Study of the Effect of Rock Alteration on the Redistribution of Uranium

ABSTRACTA modelling study was carried out to understand the effect of rock alteration on uranium radionuclide concentrations in rocks, in the vicinity of the Koongarra ore deposit, Australia. The one-dimensional, advection-dispersion-sorption model considers two important factors resulting from the process, mechanism and rate of chlorite weathering, one type of rock alteration that has occurred over a million-year period; (a) the changes in the distribution coefficients of uranium and thorium over time, and (b) that in rock porosity. The distribution coefficient and rock porosity at a given time, are expressed as average values of those of the coexisting minerals. By assuming a Darcy velocity of 0.9 m/y and an initial uranium concentration in the groundwater of 0.5 ppm, similar to present-day values, we were able to derive, from the finite-element modelling, uranium concentrations in the rock which are in good agreement with observed values. The calculated values of 230Th/234U activity ratios show a similar trend to those observed, although more experimental data are necessary to confirm the similarity. However, in the absence of the rock alteration, the calculated results did not agree with those observed. The present study suggests that rock alteration should be included in models used to predict uranium migration over long, geologic timescales.