Chemical toxicity of surface-based drinking water sources due to natural uranium pollutant around Princess Gold Mine Environs in Roodepoort, South Africa

Abstract

The activity level of natural uranium pollutant in surface-based water around Princess Gold Mine in Roodepoort, South Africa was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The highest activity level of 6.39E+04 mBq/L is reported in the reddish brown ochre surface water from tailing (SWA-RB) close to the houses, whereas the lowest value of 1.92E+03 mBq/L is reported in the flowing surface water (SRWA-5) 1 km away from the dump. Along the path high values of 1.56E+04, 1.07E+04, 1.57E+04 and 8.46E+03 mBq/L were reported at SRWA-2, SRWA-3 and SRWA-4, respectively. The inhabitants living around the tailings use the surface water for daily consumption. Based on the annual limit guideline for drinking water recommended by World Health Organization (731 L/year), this study revealed that, the community around this vicinity receives 2.10 mSv as the highest annual collective effective dose due to 238U in the drinking surface water. The radiological-health risks of 238U in the water samples analysed revealed the highest cancer mortality and morbidity values of 2.40E+03 and 3.67E+03, respectively. The mean chemical toxicity risk for the natural uranium over the lifetime consumption is 5.31E+05 ?g/kg/day which shows that the main human risk may likely be due to the chemical toxicity of natural uranium.