Aplicação dos princípios de radioproteção em medicina nuclear

The Nuclear Medicine is a medical specialty which uses different radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The isotopes are radioactive elements which are administered in vivo and present distribution to specific organs or cell types. The knowledge of radioactivity and notions related to ionizing radiation allow to contextualize the radiological protection measures to be taken in Nuclear Medicine. So it is possible to minimize unnecessary exposure to patients, the public, and individuals occupationally exposed and the environmental. For this it is necessary to relate the physical and technological bases apply to this mode with the standards established by regulatory agencies, including the CNEN (National Nuclear Energy Commission) and ANVISA (National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance). In this scenario, it is important that the theoretical endorse the activities which are periodically audited for verification of compliance with the standards that aim to radioprotection. One role of the Medical Physicist in these services is, therefore, act as Radiation Protection Supervisor exerting numerous activities and ensuring compliance with these standards. In this context the stage in the area of Nuclear Medicine was developed in many customers of the enterprise Rad Dimenstein & Associados LTDA, among them the hospitals Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), Nossa Senhora de Lourdes (HNSL), Santa Paula (HSP), Cruz Azul (CRAZ), Grupo Fleury, among other clinics. Following the routine and then carrying out various activities pertaining to the Medical Physicist in the area, it was noted that the measures and actions are extremely effective and fundamental in terms of radiological protection

Análise de desempenho de lâmpadas LEDs e LFCs como alternativas em iluminação residencial em função da implementação da portaria ministerial n° 1007 que limita o uso de lâmpadas incandescentes no Brasil

With the imposition of the suspension of production and subsequent banning of incandescent light bulbs will be necessary to replace it by other more energy-efficient. Although the main alternative is the compact fluorescent lamp, the environmental impact caused by it due to incorrect disposal and the amount of harmonics included in the network resulting in losses related to the quality of electric power system makes them sought new alternatives for lighting systems that are efficient and have low environmental impact. In this context, the LED (Lighting Emitting Diode), based on solid-state components, is presented as an option for new projects and replacement of existing lighting. In this work we studied aspects of energy, environmental and economic impacts of a possible replacement of conventional lighting systems for new technology. From laboratory tests and surveys of the costs of different types of lamps used for residential lighting, we performed a comparative analysis considering energy and economic aspects which showed that the LED technology, but has a high initial investment, it is best when power quality and environmental preservation are relevant factors in decision making for the choice of technology to be used in the lighting system

Distribuição e dispersão dos níveis radiométricos do setor técnico de medicina nuclear do hospital das clínicas da faculdade de medicina de botucatu

Nuclear medicine uses non-sealed sources for exams and treatments, because the movement of these sources, source of patients injected or not, involve a wide range of environmental radiometric levels. To better control of these levels this study was aimed at monitoring points strategically distributed in all environments Sector Technical Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of the Botucatu Medical School, performing two measurements at random times daily for a period of three months, sampling the normal routine of the sector. The detector Geiger-Muller was used for the acquisition of exposure rates of the points, efficiency and reprodutibility test have shown good performance of this equipment for this purpose. The results allowed to make a projection of annual dose for each environment indicating higher risks for Occupationally Exposed Individuals as well as Public Individuals compared with the limits established by the National Commission of Nuclear Energy. Was developed a spatial map of dose that can be used as a visual warning to the regions with the highest exposure to ionizing radiation, enabling reduced risk of a potential exposure

O advento de novas matrizes energéticas no Brasil: experiências da implantação do PNPB em Mirante do Paranapanema e a produção de biodiesel em Mauá, Estado de São Paulo

Faced with the global discussion about the development of new alternative energy sources, this work tries to contribute to the understanding of the introduction of biodiesel in the energy market, identifying the barriers in the social logic, economic and productive in different spaces, rural and urban. Based on the guidelines of the National Biodiesel Production and Use Program (PNPB), it intended to accompany the implementation of public policies in relation to family farmers settled in the Pontal, located in the western region of São Paulo. In parallel, we will analyze the organizational structure and logistics of the production of biodiesel in the city, although it does not dependent on agricultural production and it is not a target of public policies, it takes advantage of the demand created by PNPB when it comes to increasing the amount of biodiesel blended with mineral origin diesel. The activity examined in the urban space is the collection of used frying oil held by Ecosanta Biofuels, a company located in the town of Maua, São Paulo metropolitan region. The monograph aims to broaden our understanding despite the urban-rural issue regarding the obstacles and opportunities in expanding renewable energy

Simulação de ciclo combinado utilizando software comercial

In Brazil, The power generation has always depended on the rivers, in other words, there are moments that the power generation can vary, which can cause variations in energy supply and even blackout according to the level of water in the reservoirs of the hydroelectric plants. For this reason, many options has been studied, like our example, which is about a combined cycle power plant in Canas. The use of combined cycle is interesting from the point o view of energy, because its efficiency is between 50 and 60%, and from the point of view of environment, because it can burn natural gas, which is cleaner than coal, it reduces the emission of gases that influence on the greenhouse effect. This work aims to perform a technical analysis of a case study of a power plant proposed to be built in Canas by the AES/AES Tietê Group. For the analysis will be used the commercial software GateCycle 6.0.0 from GE, this software has the power of simulating power generation cycles (nuclear, combined, etc.). The energy department of UNESP has the license, which makes possible the academic use of this tool. Two combined cycles were simulated, one using one pressure level HRSG, and another one closer to the real power plant, which is a combined cycle with a three pressure level HRSG. The results were close to expected, for the combined cycle with one pressure HRSG the power was 513,9 MW and a efficiency of 53,27%, in the case with the three pressure level HRSG the power was 517,1 MW and a efficiency of 53,5%. We conclude that the software requires that the user must have the knowledge about the subjects involved in the use of GateCycle in problems resolutions

Mapeamento do nível radiométrico e construção de mapa espacial em serviço de medicina nuclear

Nuclear Medicine is a medical modality of therapy and diagnostic imaging using unsealed radioactive sources for its purposes. This routine activity promotes the transit of radioactive sources for the area of installation, beyond the transit of patients injected with radioisotope, which also contribute to raising the radiometric level of environment. As a consequence, it has exposured workers and public individuals to the ionizing radiation. There are protective mechanisms of radiation exposure, personal protective equipments, and measurement planes established in standard measurement at certain points of the environment in order to identify any increase in radiometric levels and \ or contamination, but do not cover the entire space occupied by workers and patients. To accomplish with the individual dose limits established by the National Commission of Nuclear Energy, it is interesting if there is an individualized classification for each Nuclear Medicine service. This work aimed to promote an analysis of the radiometric level distribution across the extent of the Technical Nuclear Medicine Sector of Hospital of the Botucatu Medical School, and produce a spatial map to identify locations with higher exposure rate to the ionizing radiation, can be used as a risk map to assist the Occupationally Exposed Individuals (IOE). To perform the radiometric levels checking it was used a digital Geiger-Muller detector available in the sector, due to its practicality compared to other detectors. Measurements were carried out at four different times for all days of the week, at points strategically established to cover all the installation

O Brasil e o regime Internacional de Não-Proliferação de Armas Nucleares: adesão resistida na inserção brasileira

Pós-graduação em Relações Internacionais (UNESP - UNICAMP - PUC-SP) - FFC

Natural radionuclides distribution in the shelf and upper slope off southeast Brazil

In recent decades, Oceanography has been using a variety of radionuclides as tracers to understand the ocean dynamic processes, handling and disposal of sediments of seabed. In this context, the determination of natural radionuclides distributions (238U, 232Th and 40K) has been carried out with sediments samples from the shelf and upper slope off Southeast Brazil using a gamma spectrometry technique. The samples were sliced into strata of 2 cm, dried, ground and properly packed to be analysed. The concentration of activities was performed in a hyperpure Ge detector with a resolution of 1,9 keV for the peak of 1332,3 keV of 60Co, model GEM50P by EGG&ORTEC. The study area is located between latitudes 28°40'S and 23°00'S and extends from Cabo Frio (RJ) to Cabo de Santa Marta Grande (SC). The activity concentrations varied from 0,6 to 52,8 BqKg-1 for 238U, from 1,6 to 50,9BqKg-1 for 232Th and from 65,4 to 873,3 BqKg-1 for 40K. From these results it is possible to establish a correlation between the depositional area dynamics and the samples size parameters

Energia eólica em alto mar: distribuição dos recursos e complementaridade hídrica

The stabilization of energy supply in Brazil has been a challenge for the operation of the National Interconnected System in face of hydrological and climatic variations. Thermoelectric plants have been used as an emergency source for periods of water scarcity. The utilization of fossil fuels, however, has elevated the cost of electricity. On the other hand, offshore wind energy has gained importance in the international context and is competitive enough to become a possibility for future generation in Brazil. In this scenario, the main goal of this thesis was to investigate the magnitude and distribution of offshore wind resources, and also verify the possibilities of complementing hydropower. A data series of precipitation from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) Blended Sea Winds from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC/NOAA) were used. According to statistical criteria, three types of complementarity were found in the Brazilian territory: hydro × hydro, wind × wind and hydro × wind. It was noted a significant complementarity between wind and hydro resources (r = -0.65), mainly for the hydrographical basins of the southeast and central regions with Northeastern Brazil winds. To refine the extrapolation of winds over the ocean, a method based on the Monin-Obukhov theory was used to model the stability of the atmospheric boundary layer. Objectively Analyzed Air-Sea Flux (OAFLUX) datasets for heat flux, temperature and humidity, and also sea level pressure data from NCEP/NCAR were used. The ETOPO1 from the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC/NOAA) provided bathymetric data. It was found that shallow waters, between 0-20 meters, have a resource estimated at 559 GW. The contribution of wind resources to hydroelectric reservoir operation was investigated with a simplified hybrid wind-hydraulic model, and reservoir level, inflow, outflow and turbine production data. It was found that the hybrid system avoids drought periods, continuously saving water from reservoirs through wind production. Therefore, from the results obtained, it is possible to state that the good winds from the Brazilian coast can, besides diversifying the electric matrix, stabilize the hydrological fluctuations avoiding rationing and blackouts, reducing the use of thermal power plants, increasing the production cost and emission of greenhouse gases. Public policies targeted to offshore wind energy will be necessary for its full development.

Ultrasonic Spectral Analysis for Nuclear Fuel Characterization

Ceramic materials have been widely used for various purposes in many different industries due to certain characteristics, such as high melting point and high resistance to corrosion. Concerning the areas of applications, automobile, aeronautics, naval and even nuclear, the characteristics of these materials should be strictly controlled. In the nuclear area, ceramics are of great importance once they are the nuclear fuel pellets and must have, among other features, a well controlled porosity due to mechanical strength and thermal conductivity required by the application. Generally, the techniques used to characterize nuclear fuel are destructive and require costly equipment and facilities. This paper aims to present a nondestructive technique for ceramic characterization using ultrasound. This technique differs from other ultrasonic techniques because it uses ultrasonic pulse in frequency domain instead of time domain, associating the characteristics of the analyzed material with its frequency spectrum. In the present work, 40 Alumina (Al2O3) ceramic pellets with porosities ranging from 5% to 37%, in absolute terms measured by Archimedes technique, were tested. It can be observed that the frequency spectrum of each pellet varies according to its respective porosity and microstructure, allowing a fast and non-destructive association of the same characteristics with the same spectra pellets.

Specific Filters Applied in Nuclear Medicine Services

In Nuclear Medicine, radioiodine, in various chemical forms, is a key tracer used in diagnostic practices and/or therapy. Due to its high volatility, medical professionals may incorporate radioactive iodine during the preparation of the dose to be administered to the patient. In radioactive iodine therapy doses ranging from 3.7 to 7.4GBq per patient are employed. Thus, aiming at reducing the risk of occupational contamination, we developed a low cost filter to be installed at the exit of the exhaust system where doses of radioactive iodine are fractionated, using domestic technology. The effectiveness of radioactive iodine retention by silver impregnated silica [10%] crystals and natural activated carbon was verified using radiotracer techniques. The results showed that natural activated carbon is effective for I2 capture for a large or small amount of substrate but its use is restricted due to its low flash point (150º C). Besides, when poisoned by organic solvents, this flash point may become lower, causing explosions if absorbing large amounts of nitrates. To hold the CH3I gas, it was necessary to increase the volume of natural activated carbon since it was not absorbed by SiO2 + Ag crystals. We concluded that, for an exhaust flow range of (306 4) m3/h, a double stage filter using SiO2 + Ag in the first stage and natural activated carbon in the second is sufficient to meet radiological safety requirements.

Análise da disponibilidade da instrumentação nuclear de um reator de pesquisa

The maintenance of systems and equipment is a central question related to Production Engineering. Although systems are not fully reliable, it is often necessary to minimize the failure occurrence likelihood. The failures occurrences can have disastrous consequences during a plane flight or operation of a nuclear power plant. The elaboration of a maintenance plan has as objective the prevention and recovery from system failures, increasing reliability and reducing the cost of unplanned shutdowns. It is also important to consider the issues related to organizations safety, especially those dealing with dangerous technologies. The objective of this thesis is to propose a method for maintenance analysis of a nuclear research reactor, using a socio-technical approach, and focused on existing conditions in Brazil. The research reactor studied belongs to the federal government and it is located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The specific objective of this thesis is to develop the availability analysis of one of the principal systems of the research reactor, the nuclear instrumentation system. In this analysis, were taken into account not only the technical aspects of the modules related to nuclear instrumentation system, but also the human and organizational factors that could affect the availability of the nuclear instrumentation system. The results showed the influence of these factors on the availability of the nuclear instrumentation system.

Desenvolvimento de uma técnica para análise de desgaste em peças metálicas com o uso do ciclotron CV-28 do IEN

As técnicas nucleares, com ênfase a técnica conhecida como TLA - Thin Layer Activation, tem sido utilizada com sucesso e contribuído significativamente para o estudo de sistemas tribológicos, na análise e medição de desgaste para profundidades na ordem de grandeza de 10 µm apesar potencialmente poder aplicadas a espessuras de dezenas de milímetros. Esta limitação é intrínseca da técnica utilizada na ativação da camada superficial da peça ou elemento a ser investigado, que consiste na aplicação direta de um feixe de partículas carregadas a uma determinada energia, equivalente a máxima seção de choque do material a fim de obter uma taxa ativação constante ao longo de uma determinada espessura ou utilizando uma energia menor que este valor para se obter uma taxa ativação linear também para uma determinada profundidade de ativação. O objetivo desse trabalho é apresentar uma nova técnica que consiste na utilização de um feixe de energia superior a energia correspondente à máxima seção de choque e aplicar um elemento degradador (Roda Degradadora) como objetivo de homogeneizar a ativação superficial ao longo da espessura da amostra, possibilitando uma melhoria na precisão da análise e possibilitando ainda um maior alcance dessa camada e aumentando a gama de aplicações possíveis dessa técnica, onde por exemplo, maiores taxas de desgaste possam ser analisadas. Após o experimento e análise dos dados constatou-se que a técnica proposta melhora a linearidade da curva que representa a taxa de ativação e aumentando significativamente a profundidade analisável podendo chegar a ordem 6 x 10 µm. Em adição este trabalho reinaugura a pesquisa em aplicações nucleares no IEN - Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear com utilização de aceleradores de partículas tipo ciclotron.