DAE unit develops device to measure uranium traces in water

An instrument to measure traces of uranium in water has been developed by a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), an official said today.

The instrument, "Fluorimeter", has been developed by the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), an Indore-based unit of the DAE.

The device, costing Rs 1 lakh, would help in detecting traces of uranium in water. It will be especially helpful in areas like Punjab where uranium traces in water sources have been found to be at dangerous levels, said RRCAT director P A Naik.

"Basically, this instrument was developed to find out uranium deposits in the country, but after getting reports that uranium traces were found in water sources in Punjab, we developed a more advanced version of it in the interest of people's health," Naik told PTI.

 

He said, "It can be easily taken anywhere and water can be taken from any source for testing. The instrument can instantly reveal if uranium traces are present in water."

For mass production of Fluorimeter, the DAE has transferred its technology to its other unit, Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), Naik informed.

RRCAT scientist Sendhil Raja S, who played a major role in developing the instrument, said, "In 1996, it was being imported from Canada at a cost of Rs 19 lakh per unit.

"With our continuous research we were able to develop an advanced Fluorimeter costing just Rs one lakh. In the event of mass production, it's cost will further reduce."

The instrument is capable of examining traces of uranium in a sample of water from 0.1 PPB (Parts-per-billion) unit to 100 PPB, Raja said.

Notably, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has fixed the permissible radiological limit to 60 PPB of uranium concentration for drinking water.

Experts have said people should avoid using water from sources where uranium traces are more than the limit set by the AERB.

Drinking water with high levels of uranium traces increase radiological and chemical risks to human health, they said.

"Uranium is a radioactive element. If in any source of water it's quantity is more than the permissible limit, then use of such water may cause thyroid cancer, blood cancer, depression and other serious ailments.

"Even kids face the threat of cancer (if they consume uranium-laced water for long)," said Digpal Dharkar of the Indian Institute of Head and Neck Oncology.