Environmental radiological monitoring methods in tenorm facilities and its relevance
Abstract
ABSTRACT
In Malaysia, mineral processing plant is one of the Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) processing industries controlled by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) through the enforcement of Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304). The activities generated waste which is called as TENORM wastes. TENORM wastes are mainly found in thorium hydroxide from the processing of xenotime and monazite, and iron oxide and red gypsum from the processing of ilmenite. Other TENORM wastes are scales and sludge from the oil and gas industries, tin slag produced from the smelting of tin, and ilmenite, zircon, and monazite produced from the processing of tin tailing (amang). The environmental and radiological monitoring program is needed to ensure that the TENORM wastes did not caused any contamination to the environment. The wastes vary in the types of samples, parameters of analysis as well as the frequency of monitoring based on license’s conditions issued by the AELB. The main objective of this study is to assess the suitability of license’s condition and the monitoring program required in oil and gas, and mineral processing industries. Study was done by assessing the data submitted to the AELB in order to comply with the licensing requirement. This study had found out that there are a few of license’s conditions that need to be reviewed accordingly based on the processing activity.
ABSTRAK
Di Malaysia, kilang pemprosesan mineral yang mengandungi bahan radioaktif tabii (NORM) adalah merupakan salah satu industri pemprosesan yang dikawal oleh Lembaga Perlesenan Tenaga Atom (AELB) melalui peruntukan Akta Perlesenan Tenaga Atom, 1984 (Akta 304). Aktiviti-aktiviti pemprosesan mineral ini menghasilkan sisa yang dipanggil sisa TENORM. Sisa TENORM dijumpai terutamanya dalam bentuk torium hidroksida hasil daripada pemprosesan xenotim dan monazit, dan besi oksida dan gipsum hasil daripada pemprosesan ilmenit. Sisa TENORM lain adalah skel dan enapcemar minyak daripada industri petroleum dan gas, sanga timah daripada proses peleburan bijih timah dan ilmenit, zircon, struverit dan monazit hasil daripada pemprosesan tahi bijih (amang). Program pemonitoran alam sekitar dan radiologi perlu dijalankan dalam setiap aktiviti TENORM bagi memastikan ianya tidak mencemarkan alam sekitar. Program ini berbeza dari segi jenis sampel, parameter yang perlu dianalisis dan juga kekerapan pemonitoran, bergantung kepada syarat lesen yang ditetapkan oleh AELB. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk melihat kesesuaian syarat lesen dan aktiviti pemonitoran dalam industri petroleum dan gas, serta pemprosesan mineral yang mengandungi NORM. Kajian dilakukan dengan menganalisis data yang dikemukakan kepada AELB bagi menepati keperluan lesen. Hasil kajian mendapati terdapat beberapa syarat lesen yang perlu dinilai semula kesesuaiannya berdasarkan kepada aktiviti pemprosesan yang dilakukan.
