Radiation

Analyzing the radiation level in water is essential for several reasons, especially when dealing with environmental safety, human health, and regulatory compliance.

1. Protecting Human Health

Drinking Water Safety: Radioactive contamination in water, such as tritium, radon, uranium, or cesium, poses significant health risks. Prolonged exposure can lead to:
- Increased risk of cancer.
- Kidney damage (from uranium).
- DNA mutations and other long-term health effects.
Regulatory agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have set safety limits for radionuclides in drinking water.

2. Environmental Protection

Monitoring Natural Radiation Levels: Natural radioactive isotopes like radium and thorium exist in groundwater and surface water due to geological processes. Monitoring ensures they are within safe limits for ecosystems.
Detecting Anthropogenic Contamination: Nuclear facilities, mining activities, and accidental releases from nuclear power plants can contaminate water sources with radionuclides like tritium, iodine, and strontium.
Aquatic Life Safety: Radioactive contamination affects not just humans but also aquatic organisms, potentially disrupting entire ecosystems.

3. Identifying Sources of Contamination

Radiation analysis helps trace the source of contamination, whether it is:
- Natural (e.g., uranium-bearing rocks leaching into groundwater).
- Man-made (e.g., leakage from nuclear reactors or waste storage facilities).
This is critical for formulating mitigation strategies and preventing further contamination.

4. Early Warning Systems

Monitoring radiation levels acts as an early warning system for:
- Leakage from nuclear waste storage or reactors.
- Contamination from radiological terrorism (e.g., use of "dirty bombs").
- Natural disasters affecting nuclear facilities.

Tritium Enrichment by Electrolysis Technique

Photographs of the tritium enrichment apparatus: (a) electrolytic cells mounted inside the refrigerator at a constant temperature, (b) top view of the refrigerator, and (c) expanded image of cells.

Process Steps

Preparation:
- Tritium-containing water (often from natural sources, nuclear reactors, or spent fuel pools) is the starting material.
- Electrolytic cells, typically made of materials resistant to corrosion (e.g., stainless steel, platinum, or nickel), are used.
- Hydrogen gas evolves at the cathode, while oxygen gas evolves at the anode.
Repeating the Process:
- Multi-stage or batch electrolysis is often required to achieve significant enrichment because the isotopic separation factor per stage is relatively low (typically between 1.05 and 1.15).
- After each stage, the residual water (enriched in tritium) is subjected to further electrolysis.
Monitoring:
- The tritium concentration is monitored using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) or other radiometric techniques to measure the progress of enrichment.

Schematic diagram of the RAD7 detector meter with big-bottle measuring device system to estimate the radon concentration in groundwater samples.

Achievements

45. Mamun, A., and Alazmi, AS. Advance application of liquid scintillation counter to estimate radon concentration in groundwater. Arabian Journal of Geosciences (Springer) 2024, 17(1), 34. (IF: 1.8) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12517-023-11846-8

44. Mamun, A., Enrichment of low-level tritium in groundwater by an electrolysis process for liquid scintillation counting applications, Geoscience (MDPI) 2023, 13(10) 290. (IF: 2.4) https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/10/290

43. Mamun, A., Electrolytic enrichment of water for tritium activity measurement, Sustainable Chemical Engineering, 2023, 4(2), 164-173. https://doi.org/10.37256/sce.4220233155

42. Mamun, A. Estimation of tritium concentration in the rain- and groundwater in dry river of Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia, Limnological Review (MDPI) 2023, 23(2), 93-107. https://doi.org/10.3390/limnolrev23020006

41. Mamun, A. An advanced optimization method to minimize the detection limit of liquid scintillation counter to measure low-level tritium activity in groundwater, Radiation (MDPI) 2023, 3, 138–152. https://doi.org/10.3390/radiation3030012

40. Mamun, A., and Alazmi, AS. State of the Practice Worldwide: Risk assessment of radon exposure by ingestion and inhalation of groundwater within different age groups. Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation (Wiley) 2023, 43(1), 69-77. (IF: 1.8) https://ngwa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gwmr.12558

39. Mamun, A., and Alazmi, AS. Advancement of a liquid scintillation counter and solid-state alpha detector to estimate the radon concentration in groundwater, Water (MDPI) 2022, 14(23), 3849. (IF: 3.53) https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/23/3849

38. Mamun, A., and Alazmi, AS. Investigation of Radon in Groundwater and the Corresponding Human-Health Risk Assessment in Northeastern Saudi Arabia, Sustainability (MDPI) 2022, 14(21), 14515. (IF: 3.9)

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/14515

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