Radiometric evaluation of the 210Pb in the estuary of the SUAPE Pole in the State of Pernambuco

Nowadays there is a growing interest in the study of natural radioactivity levels, mainly of radionuclide 210Pb present in the environment. The environmental radioactivity control is of extreme importance for attainment of information on the exposition of humans and vegetables the potential sources in natural radioactive occurrences. Industrial processes involving mining and extraction and production of oil foster concentration of radionuclides, contributing to the occurrence of what is known as TENORM Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material. This work aims to assess the environmental radiological impact on the Estuarine Region of the SUAPE Industrial Pole, due to the installation of an oil refinery and the consequent introduction on the environment of natural radioactive materials from other regions. For this, were determined the concentrations of 210Pb in samples de soil, sediments, roots and levels of fen and fishes in the region above reported, these data will serve of parameters of reference for a radiometric evaluation on future radioecology impacts caused by the functioning of the refinery of SUAPE oil. To determine the concentration of 210Pb was used the Ionic Resin Exchange method, for in such a way, the detector was used alpha-beta. Concentrations of 210Pb in the soils, sediments, roots and levels of fen samples vary respectively from 27 ± 2 to 60 ± 5, from 18 ± 5 to 60 ± 6, from 65 ± 2 to 117 ± 3, from 217 ± 6 to 239 ± 7 Bq.kg-1. Concentrations of the 210Pb in samples of some species of fish found in the studied region, such as Mullet, Salema, Catfish and Carapitinga, was also determined varying from 26 ± 11 to 62 ± 6 Bq.kg-1. The results obtained in the samples of soils, sediments, roots of fen e fishes showed that the concentrations of 210Pb in the environment are normal for the patterns of the area and are in accordance with data the found ones in literature for regions not impacted. As can be observed the average concentrations of 210Pb in the fen leaves samples had gotten raised values, this fact is justified due to the degree of mobility of the radionuclides, these can be moved in the ground for the influence of the water and saline solutions, that in the long run, had the accumulated of the radionuclides, becomes available for vegetables. (author)