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Radiological Hazard Assessment of High-Level Natural Radionuclides in Surface Sediments Along Red River, Vietnam

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Abstract

The Red River is one of the largest rivers that plays an important role in the economic development of North Vietnam. There are many radionuclides bearing rare earth, uranium ore mines, mining industrial zones and magma intrusive formations along this river. The contamination and accumulation of radionuclides could exist at high concentration in surface sediments of this river. Thus, the present investigation aims to study the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th (228Ra), 40K, and 137Cs in Red River surface sediments. Thirty sediment samples were collected, and their activity concentration was calculated using high-purity germanium gamma-ray detector. The observed results ranged from 51.0 ± 2.1 to 73.6 ± 3.7 for 226Ra, 71.4 ± 3.6 to 103 ± 5.2 for 232Th, 507 ± 24.0 to 846 ± 42.3 for 40K, and ND (not detected) to 1.33 ± 0.06 Bq/kg for 137Cs, respectively. In general, the natural radionuclides concentration of 226Ra, 232Th (228Ra), and 40K is higher than the average world average values. This indicated that the natural radionuclides could contribute from similar and principal sources surrounding the upstream of Lao Cai where distributed uranium ore mines, radionuclide bearing rare earth mines, mining industrial zones and intrusive formations. Regarding the radiological hazard assessment, results of the indices computed such as absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), and the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) were nearly two times higher than world average values.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank Prof. Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa for English grammar editing and useful comment to complete this paper.

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The authors have not disclosed any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. VNU School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Van-Hao Duong

  2. Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology, Vinatom, 179 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam

    Duc-Thang Duong

  3. Faculty of Physics, University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam

    Loat Van Bui

  4. Centre of Nuclear Physics, Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam

    Thanh Tien Kim, Hue Minh Bui & Trong Dinh Tran

  5. Institute of Geological Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Trinh Trong Phan

  6. Hanoi University of Mining and Geology (HUMG), 18 Vien, Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam

    Thanh-Duong Nguyen

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  1. Van-Hao Duong
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  2. Duc-Thang Duong
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  3. Loat Van Bui
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  4. Thanh Tien Kim
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  5. Hue Minh Bui
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  7. Trinh Trong Phan
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  8. Thanh-Duong Nguyen
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Contributions

Contribution of individual authors to manuscript preparation is defined in terms of the following criteria: Conception: V-HD, T-DN Study design, methods used: V-HD, LBV Acquisition and collation of data: V-HD, T-DN Analysis, interpretation of data: V-HD, LBV, HBT, TKT, HBM, D-TD Writing the manuscript: V-HD, T-DN Critical revision of paper: V-HD, T-DN, LBV.

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Correspondence to Van-Hao Duong or Loat Van Bui.

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Duong, VH., Duong, DT., Bui, L.V. et al. Radiological Hazard Assessment of High-Level Natural Radionuclides in Surface Sediments Along Red River, Vietnam. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 85, 302–313 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-023-01003-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-023-01003-3

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