A Portable Technique for 226Ra Body Burden Estimation of Uranium Miners via Monitoring of 222Rn of Exhaled Breath

Abstract

Gases from the breath exhalation can be used for the detection and estimation of associated contaminant in the human body. For the estimation of ²²⁶Ra body burden through the analyses of radon (²²²Rn) in the exhaled breath, similar technique has been considered for uranium miners in India. Initial experiments for Jaduguda underground uranium mine workers were based on qualitative approach due to the limitations of the sensitivity of the then available techniques. The inert gas ²²²Rn after its formation is soluble in the blood, may escape from the human body like other dissolved gases at lung/blood interface which can be removed through exhalation. Using a sensitive device that can effectively analyze the low activity concentration of radon, ²²⁶Ra body burden of the uranium miner can be estimated. The working principle, description and utility of the device as well as estimated ²²⁶Ra body burden are provided in the paper. Examination results of 244 subjects of uranium mines have shown a variation in the radium (²²⁶Ra) body burden from 0.54 to 3.75 kBq. The inexpensive technique can effectively be used in the field conditions due to high sensitivity, portability, low sampling time and minimal instrumentation requirements.