Jacek Kapała

Study of 222Rn concentrations in drinking water in the north-eastern hydroregions of Poland

This paper presents the results of radon concentration measurements in the drinking water from the municipal water supply system and private wells located in the north-eastern part of Poland. The measurements were carried out on 643 samples using a liquid scintillation method. The mean value was found to be 5262 Bq m-3 with a maximum of 38347 Bq m-3. The samples were obtained from different water-bearing levels, i.e. surface water, deep borehole water and well water and have respective mean values of 3398, 5178 and 6155 Bq m-3. In 57 water samples, a guideline maximum level of 11,000 Bq m-3 was found to be exceeded. The observed radon concentration in water can contribute to a 2% increase in indoor radon concentration.

Comparative studies of health hazard from radon (Rn-222) in two selected lithologic formations in the Suwałki region (in Poland)

The aim of this work was to make a comparison of indoor radon concentrations in dwellings and in soil air in the area of two geological formations in the Suwałki region (Poland). The mean arithmetic airborne concentration was found to be the highest (301 Bq m (-3)) in the basements of buildings in the gravel and sand areas, whereas in the boulder clay areas it reached 587 Bq m (-3). Out of 54 measurements of radon concentrations performed at the ground floor, in eight cases concentrations were found to exceed 200 Bq m (-3) - permissible radon level in new-built houses in Poland and in three cases these values were even higher than 400 Bq m (-3). The highest radon levels were noted in houses with earthen basement floors and with direct entrance from the basement to rooms or kitchens. The mean arithmetic radon concentration in the soil air in the sandy and gravel formations was 39.7 kBq m (-3) and in clay formation it was 26.5 kBq m (-3). Higher radon levels were also found in the water obtained from household wells reaching 8367 Bq m (-3) as compared with tap water (2690 Bqm (-3)). The mean indoor concentration for the whole area under study was found to be 169.4 Bq m (-3), which is higher than the mean value for Poland (49.1 Bq m (-3)) by a factor of 3.5.

Mean annual 222Rn concentration in homes located in different geological regions of Poland – first approach to whole country area

The paper presents the results of year-long measurements of radon ((222)Rn) concentration inside 129 buildings in Poland in relation to the geological conditions of their foundation. The authors took into account the division of the country into tectonic units, as well as the lithology of the rocks forming the bedrock of these buildings. As expected, the highest value of mean annual (222)Rn concentration (845 Bq/m(3)) was recorded in a building situated in the area of the Sudetes, while the highest geometric mean (characteristic of the expected log-normal data distribution) was calculated based on measurements from buildings located within the East-European craton, in the area of Mazury-Podlasie monocline, where it reached 231 Bq/m(3). Such results reflect geological conditions - the occurrence of crystalline rocks (especially U- and Ra-enriched granites and orthogneisses) on the surface in the Sudetes, and of young post-glacial sediments containing fragments of Scandinavian crystalline rocks, also enriched with U and Ra, in the area of Mazury-Podlasie monocline. However, the least expected result of the investigations was finding out that, contrary to the hitherto widespread belief, none of the major tectonic units of Poland can be excluded from the list of those containing buildings with mean annual (222)Rn concentration exceeding 200 Bq/m(3). The mean annual concentration of radon for all the buildings were much higher than the mean concentration value (49.1 Bq/m(3)) of indoor radon in Poland quoted so far. These results cast a completely new light on the necessity to perform measurements of radon concentration in residential buildings in Poland, no more with reference to small areas with outcrops of crystalline rocks (especially the Sudetes, being the Polish fragment of the European Variscan belt), but for all the major tectonic units within Poland.

Plutonium isotopes in the atmosphere of Central Europe: Isotopic composition and time evolution vs. circulation factors

This paper reports evidence of Pu isotopes in the lower part of the troposphere of Central Europe. The data were obtained based on atmospheric aerosol fraction samples collected from four places in three countries (participating in the informal European network known as the Ring of Five (Ro5)) forming a cell with a surface area of about 200,000km(2). We compared our original data sets from Krakow (Poland, 1990-2007) and Bialystok (Poland, 1991-2007) with the results from two other locations, Prague (Czech Republic; 1997-2004) and Braunschweig (Germany; 1990-2003) to find time evolution of the Pu isotopes. The levels of the activity concentration for (238)Pu and for ((239+240))Pu were estimated to be a few and some tens of nBqm(-3), respectively. However, we also noted some results were much higher (even about 70 times higher) than the average concentration of (238)Pu in the atmosphere. The achieved complex data sets were used to test a new approach to the problem of solving mixing isotopic traces from various sources (here up to three) in one sample. Results of our model, supported by mesoscale atmospheric circulation parameters, suggest that Pu from nuclear weapon accidents or tests and nuclear burnt-up fuel are present in the air.

Plutonium traces in atmospheric precipitation and in aerosols from Krakow and Bialystok

Abstract The appearance of plutonium isotopes in the environment was connected with the human activity, mainly: nuclear weapon tests (global fallout), nuclear accident in Chernobyl (1986), disintegration of satellite SNAP 9 (1963) and releases from nuclear reprocessing factories. At present, the concentration of plutonium in the atmosphere is very small but still observable. The aim of the study is to report and to discuss the results of plutonium alpha-emitters determination from sampling aerosols in air (Krakow 1990–1998, 2001–2002 and Bialystok 1996–1998, 2001) and in precipitation (Krakow 2005–2006). Plutonium activity concentration in air samples (in Krakow and Bialystok) varied in range: 0.22±0.04 nBq/m3 to 17.1±1.3 nBq/m3 for 239+240Pu and 0.033±0.018 nBq/m3 to 2.54±0.22 nBq/m3 for 238Pu and deposition of atmospheric precipitation (Krakow): from 0.041±0.011 mBq/m2 to 2.81±0.24 mBq/m2 for 239+240Pu and for 238Pu below 1.29±0.45 mBq/m2. One of the mechanisms responsible for the airborne plutonium is resuspension but on the other hand the main source of plutonium in the air seems to be marines aerosols from North See. This new hypothesis will be checked during the future research. The most interesting finding is the seasonal variation of plutonium air concentration. The conclusion from calculated ratio of plutonium isotopes (238Pu/239+240Pu) is that they are usually not typical for the global fallout.

Time-dependence of 137Cs activity concentration in wild game meat in Knyszyn Primeval Forest (Poland)

Wild game meat samples were analysed from the region of the Podlasie province (Knyszyn Primeval Forest). (137)Cs content in meat was determined by gamma spectrometry in 2003 (33 samples), 2009 (22 samples) and 2012 (26 samples). The samples were collected in the autumn of 2003, 2009 and 2012 and were compared with data from 1996. Mean concentrations of (137)Cs in the respective years were as follow: 42.2 Bq kg(-1), 33.7 Bq kg(-1) and 30.5 Bq kg(-1), respectively. On the basis of mean values of (137)Cs in the meat samples of red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) between 1996/2012, the effective half-life of (137)Cs was determined for specific species. For red deer equaled 8.9 years, for roe deer 11.6 years while for wild boar it exceeded the physical half-life and equaled 38.5 years. Mean value CR obtained for all three species equaled 1.7 ± 1.5 out of 102 measurements in animals muscles.

The changes in the contents of 137Cs in bottom sediments of some Masurian lakes during 10-15 y observation (Poland)

The measurements of radioactive caesium contents in bottom sediments were carried out in four lakes. First samples (47) were taken in 1992-95. The repeat sampling (109) was performed from the same places in 2005. We examined eight chosen areas in these lakes. In six of them, we observed statistically significant differences in the level of radioactive caesium. It indicates the permanent decrease in the level of 137Cs. The mean annual decrease in the level of radioactive caesium, taking into consideration the radioactive decay, was from 4.2 to 7.8%. In two areas of the profundal zone, we did not observe statistically significant differences in the level of radioactive caesium (lakes Garbas and Rogale Wielkie). Taking into consideration the radioactive decay of caesium, it means about the appearance of the process of accumulation of 137Cs in these areas.

7 Be concentration in the near-surface layer of the air in Bialystok (north-eastern Poland) in the years 1992–2010

Weekly measurements of air 7Be concentrations (n = 769) were performed in the years 1992-2010 in Bialystok (north-eastern Poland) using gamma spectrometry. The arithmetic mean (AM) concentration of 7Be was 2.51 mBq m-3, and the median (M) was 2.24 mBq m-3 (range 0.47-7.81 mBq m-3). The observed 7Be concentrations were within the range of levels recorded in Europe. Typical seasonal variability was observed. Concentrations of 7Be in the warm season (May, June, July) were almost twice as high as those in the cold season (November, December, January). A correlation was found between weekly 7Be concentrations and mean weekly values of relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed throughout the observation period. Pearsons correlation coefficients were -0.63, p < 0.001; 0.477, p < 0.001; -0.288, p < 0.001, respectively. The correlation coefficient between sunspot number and mean annual 7Be concentrations in the air in the years 1992-2010 was -0.609.

Radon in human environment and Carcinoma – part 1

The article describes basic theories of small doses of ionizing radiation’s impact on an organism and the current views on mechanisms of cancer emergence influenced by radiation. The risk estimation of lung carcinoma caused by inhalation of radon present in human environment was provided.

Radioactivity of natural medicinal preparations contained extracts from peat mud available in retail trade used externally

Abstract In this work were identified and measured the activity of radioactive isotopes present in medicinal preparations from peat mud and estimated the doses obtained from them during therapy. Radioactivity of 22 preparations from peat mud and 20 water samples from water of the North-East region of Poland was studied. The median of the total activity was 24.8 Bq kg−1. Total maximal isotope activity was observed in the Iwonicka Cube 146 Bq kg−1 while considerable amounts of isotopes were found in the Kolobrzeska Peat Mud Paste 112 Bq kg−1. The doses obtained during therapy were within the range of 11 nSv–13 μSv depending on extracts of medicinal preparations from peat mud. The probability that such a small dose would stimulate biological effects is low. However, some clinicians believe that one of the possible therapeutic mechanisms in the treatment of rheumatoid disorders is the induction of immune response by ionising radiation.