Here's a bit more on sand for ya.
Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials
(NORM) in Australian Industries - Review of
Current Inventories and Future Generation
Malcolm B. Cooper
A Report prepared for the Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council
ERS-006 Revision of September 2005
4.3 Sandblasting
Background
Heavy minerals, for example garnet, are commonly used as sand blasting abrasives in operations to
clean metal surfaces in a range of industries, such as metal foundries, motor engine repairers, oil and
gas industry, engineering workshops, and ship dockyards. In the past, other heavy minerals derived
from the mineral sand industry, principally ilmenite and zircon, have also been used for sand
blasting. Slag and other waste from metal smelting also find use for sand blasting in these
industries.
Waste Production
The main waste form produced is the used sand blasting materials, which may be stockpiled on site
awaiting disposal, normally to a landfill.
RadioactivityGarnet used for sandblasting may be contaminated with trace quantities of uranium and thorium and
associated radioactive progeny due to the presence of other heavy minerals such as ilmenite, zircon
and monazite. A previous Australian study [21] found that garnet sandblasting materials contain
radionuclide concentrations in the range 40 to 100 kBq.kg-1 for 232Th and 15 to 30 kBq.kg-1 for 238U.
Ilmenite, containing up to 380 Bq.kg-1 232Th and up to 120 Bq.kg-1 238U, was found to be
widespread use in these industries. Subsequent State regulations have limited the uranium and
thorium content of sand blasting materials to below 200 Bq.kg-1.
So now you see that apples aren't always apples.
Incidentally, I realise that this is not an environmental forum so I am not pursuing this any further other than to raise this aspect of hazzard concerning sandblasting.
BTW Fish piss and poop in the rivers and lakes. It's the usual source for a town water supply. I wouldn't drink it if I was you. It's why Guiness is so popular.
