MEASUREMENT OF URANIUM IN URINE, HAIR AND NAILS IN SUBJECTS OF NISKA BANJA TOWN, A HIGH NATURAL BACKGROUND RADIATION AREA OF SERBIA

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2019 Oct 1;184(3-4):319-323. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncz120.

Abstract

Urine, hair and nail samples were collected from a population of both sex aged from 40 to 87 years in Niška Banja (227 km south of Belgrade, Serbia) with a high level of natural radioactivity (HLNRA). To assess and monitor the public exposure, urine samples for each subject (24 h period) were collected and concentration of uranium (U) was analysed using alpha-particle spectrometry. Human hair and nails considered as bio-indicators of the public exposure to radionuclides over a long period of months or even years and concentration of U was determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The mean concentrations of U in urine, hair and nail were 123 ng/L, 17 ng/g and 8 ng/g, respectively. There was a large variation and may be due to geological origin.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Background Radiation*
  • Female
  • Hair / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nails / metabolism*
  • Radiation Exposure / analysis*
  • Radiation Monitoring / methods*
  • Serbia
  • Uranium / analysis*
  • Urinalysis / methods*

Substances

  • Uranium