Author(s)

H. Tang, D. Al-Ajmi & X. Shen

Abstract

Kuwait City is surrounded by deserts. PM10 is a problem for this city. Statistical studies show that the percentage of violations of the Kuwait government’s PM10 standard is high. Cs-137 is a man-made radionuclide produced through nuclear fission. It has very high fission yield, and has a 30.1 years' half-life. From a non-radiological hazards point of view, no potential health effects are known for Cesium. However, large oral doses of the material may cause gastrointestinal disturbances. A large amount of Cs-137 was released into the atmosphere from nuclear tests in early 1950's and 1960's, and from nuclear accidents in the past. The International Commission on Radiological Protection has set up exposure standards for many radionuclide elements. In cooperation with the Centre of Monitoring Research, USA and the International Monitoring System Division, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-test-ban Treaty Organization, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research has operated a radionuclide monitoring station in Kuwait City for many years. It has been discovered that Kuwait City has the highest Cs-137 activity concentrations and largest range of concentrations among the CTBTO monitoring stations from 1995 to 1999. This study found from April 2004 to February 2005, the average concentration of Cs-137 in Kuwait City was about the same level of the average concentration from 1995 to 1999 although the monthly average of Cs-137 concentrations had changed. This paper will detail the measurement results, and discuss the health effects. Keywords: radionuclide, Cs-137, health effect, particle, PM10. 1 Introduction There is radiation all around us and we cannot eliminate radiation from our environment. Radioactive materials that decay spontaneously produce ionizing

Keywords

radionuclide, Cs-137, health effect, particle, PM10.