Abstract— This study aims to estimate the micro distribution of

natural α-radioactivity in animal’s bones of Northern Malaysian Peninsula. The micro distribution of 210Pb in 39 bones was measured on CR-39 (TASTRAK) alpha-particle track detector. The degree of accumulations of the 210Pb in the bones samples in this study were as follows: fish> cow> chicken.

Keywords— natural alpha radioactivity, CR-39 detector, lead, bones.

I. INTRODUCTION

LPHA particles autoradiography of bones samples from natural levels exposure detects that the activity present is

produced by 210Po, the majority of which is assumed to be present by in growth of 210Pb [1]. Leukaemia and osteosarcoma could be induced from radiation damage to red marrow stem cells osteoprogenitor cells respectively [2]. Lead occurs in the earth's crust as the end product of the radiometric decay of uranium, thorium, and actinium. Lead, primarily in the form of lead-sulfide in galena ore, constitutes 0.001% to 0.002% of the earth's crust. A common natural means of releasing lead to the atmosphere is via wind borne dusts created by the weathering of deposits. Natural sources of lead emissions are: sea and salt lake aerosols, forest fires, and volcanic eruptions.

A. Study Area

Northern Malaysian Peninsular (NMP) map covers a wide area of approximately 32,000 km2 of the North-West of Peninsular Malaysia. The study conducted at NMP, encompasses the four northernmost states on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia: Perlis, Kedah, and upper portion of North Perak. Penang state is the second smallest and one of the 13 states of the Malaysian Peninsula situated at the northeastern coast. Penang consists of two geographically different entities: a 293 km2 island called Penang Island and a portion of

B.A. Almayahi is with the School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia (corresponding author to provide phone: 06-017-2431529, e-mail: basimnajaf@yahoo.com).

A. A. Tajuddin is with the School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia. E-mail: draat@usm.my

M.S. Jaafar is with the School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia. E-mail: msj@usm.my

mainland called Seberang Prai with an area of 738 km2, which is connected to the island through a regular ferry service and a 13.5 km long bridge. The state of Kedah situated in the northwestern corner of Peninsula Malaysia. It covers an area of 9,425 km2. Perlis state, lies at the northwestern extremity of the Malaysian Peninsular. Its land area of 795 km2 and population of 217, 480 makes Perlis the smallest state in Malaysia. The state of Perak, covers an area of 21,000 km2, making it the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang is larger).

Measurements of Naturally Occurring 210Pb Concentration in Animals Bones of Northern

Malaysian Peninsula

B. A. Almayahi, A. A. Tajuddin and M. S. Jaafar

ATABLE I

INFORMATION ABOUT BONES SAMPLES FROM NMP

Sample code location Bones type B01 Grik, Perak Cow B02 Jitra, Kedah Chicken B03 Grik, Perak Cow B04 Kuala Nerang, Kedah Chicken B05 Padang Basar, Perlis Cow B06 Padang Basar, Perlis Chicken B07 Selama, Perak Fish B08 Kuala Nerang, Kedah Cow B09 Selama, Perak Cow B10 Kuala Nerang, Kedah Cow B11 Batu Gajuh, Perlis Cow B12 Kuala Sungai, Kedah Chicken B13 Kuala Nerang, Kedah Cow B14 Air Hitam, Kedah Chicken B15 Baling, Kedah Cow B16 Grik, Perak Fish B17 Guar Gatoh, Perlis Fish B18 Grik, Perak Chicken B19 Grik, Perak Chicken B20 Yan, Kedah fish B21 Batu Gajah, Perak Cow B22 Grik, Perak Chicken B23 Knger Perlis Chicken B24 Kanger, Perlis Fish B25 Padang Basar, Perlis Fish B26 Jitra, Kedah Chicken B27 Selama, Perak Chicken B28 Selama, Perak Fish B29 Batu Gajah, Perak Fish B30 Selama, Perak Fish B31 Prit Buntar, Perlis Cow B32 Baling, Kedah Fish B33 Kuala Nerang, Kedah Cow B34 Selama, Perak Chicken B35 Batu Gajuh, Perlis Fish B36 Grik, Perak Chicken B37 Grik, Perak Chicken B38 Yan, Kedah Cow B39 Selama, Perak Chicken

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II. MATERIAL Thirty-nine animal’s bones (cow, fish, chicken) collected

around NMP as shown in Table I. Bones samples were stored deep-frozen. Following from that process, soft tissues surrounding bones were removed from all bones samples. The bones were then incinerated at a temperature of 400 °C in an electric furnace with time spanning 24 h. Next, the bones were homogenized by mortar and sifted through a 0.5 mm sieve.

Tablets of 1.5 cm diameter of bones samples were produced using hydraulic pelletizing press and the press piston 30 ton for all bones samples. Then tablets were put on sheets of high purity plastic α-detector (PADC-TASTRACK CR-39, Track Analysis Systems Ltd, Bristol, UK), with of 2 cm × 2 cm area as shown in Fig. 1. The detectors with samples were sealed in a high-density polyethylene bag (to prevent the influx of radon) and clamped in position as shown in Fig. 1. Then, the bag was placed inside the freezing at the storage temperature of -20°C for 5 months.

Fig. 1. CR-39 with bones samples

III. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

The CR-39 detectors were then etched under controlled conditions in NaOH etchant solution as reported elsewhere [3]. The numbers of α-tracks, per unit area of bones samples, were then counted using an optical microscope (Olympus, System Microscope BX53) of 100× magnification power as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. An optical microscope connected with the computer software

The lead concentration was calculated by the formula:

T

cmTrackKmgionConcentrat

2

)(

(1)

Where, T is the exposure time (days) and K is constant by

units (12 dcmTrack

mg).

The standard concentrations for lead were prepared using PbO2 powder at different concentrations and the relation between tracks of alpha particles to lead concentrations was plotted for find K value.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The 210Pb concentrations in the bones samples analazed by CR-39 detector are showed in Table II. Highest concentration for 210Pb was found to be (63.51 mg) in sample B33 (Kuala Nerang, Kedah). Whereas, lowest concentration for 210Pb was found to be (1.19 mg) in sample B04 (Kuala Nerang, Kedah). The degree of accumulations of the 210Pb in the bones samples in this study were as follows: cow> fish> chicken. Fig. 3 shows tracks produced by the bones samples of two typical samples.

TABLE II LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN BONES

SAMPLES FROM NMP

Sample code 210Pb (mg) B01 11.65 B02 2.20 B03 4.52 B04 1.19 B05 8.68 B06 2.52 B07 17.97 B08 34.08 B09 12.07 B10 39.35 B11 11.22 B12 2.20 B13 28.21 B14 1.81 B15 28.39 B16 4.07 B17 8.72 B18 2.28 B19 2.30 B20 4.01 B21 35.72 B22 2.30 B23 1.47 B24 1.19 B25 3.73 B26 2.40 B27 2.32 B28 5.69 B29 7.22 B30 3.02 B31 6.03 B32 1.97 B33 63.51 B34 1.97 B35 7.71 B36 2.44 B37 2.48 B38 47.72 B39 1.51

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Fig. 3. Tracks density on CR-39 of two typical samples of high and low lead concentrations

V. CONCLUSIONS

The data were showed that the degree of accumulations of the 210Pb in the bones samples in this study were as follows: cow> fish> chicken. It is concluded that lead concentration in bones samples in Kedah state higher than in Perak and Perlis states.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors acknowledge the financial support of the School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia through research grant no. 1001/PFIZIK 844085.

REFERENCES [1] D.L. Henshaw, U. Hatzialekou, and P.H. Randle, “Analysis of alpha

particle autoradiographs of bones samples from adults and children in the UK at natural levels of exposure,” Radiat. Protec. Dosim., 1988, Vol. 22, pp. 231–242.

[2] G. Kaick, H. Muth, A. Kaul, H. Wesch, H. Immich, D. Liebermann, D. Lorenz, W. Lorenz, H. Luhrs, K. Scheer, G. Wanger and K. Wegener, “Report on th German Thorotrast study. In the Radiobiology of Rdium and Thorium, eds W. Gossner, G. Gerber, U. Hagen, and A. Luz (Munich: Urban and Schwarzenberg),” 1973, pp. 114-118.

[3] Almayahi, B. A., Tajuddin, A. A., Jaafar, M.S., (2012). Measurements of alpha emission rates in bones using CR-39 track detector. Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Ecological, Environmental and Biological Sciences (EEBS'2012), October 13-14, 2012 at Bali (Indonesia).

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