engleski

ACTIVATED NATURAL ZEOLITES ON TEXTILES - ABILITY TO PROTECT FROM RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION

The scope of the specific experimental research was to investigate certain behaviour of given textile samples processed with clinoptilolite zeolite regarding the radioactivity - radioactive contamination in order to be able to classify the processed textiles into the group of possibly radio protective materials (personal and/or industrial textiles containing natural and/or artificial zeolites). The civil need for such textiles is obvious in very fast growing field of nuclear medicine and PET/SPECT isotope production. Quantitative health risk for the persons wearing clothes made from the new fibres and impact on their health is to be evaluated for each situation, military and security purpose and for civil use. Since natural zeolite clinoptilolite has crystalline configuration and a lattice structure with long channels comprising water molecules and alkaline earth ions, these ions may shift within the lattice, enabling clinoptilolite to have strong absorbency, even heavy metals and toxins, and ion exchange properties . For consideration in this paper is important that cesium (Cs) is in the first place of zeolite ion-exchanging selectivity, as follow: Cs > NH4+ > Pb2+ > K+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > Ba2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ Applied on textiles are following the tendency for new textile applications as materials for human performance, such are medical, protective and sports. As a physic of zeolites underlines its ability of adsorption it is clear that the use of textiles processed with zeolites will be physically predisposed to be used in the field of radiation protection where the liquid radioactive contamination is expected. Other physical properties (capture of free atomic dust particles) are not possible or are to slow to take place when talking about radioactivity and practical radiation protection. It is clear that zeolites can be used to hinder the radioactive alpha and beta contamination but the gamma (electromagnetic) component of ionizing radiation passing through textile processed simply with natural zeolites can not be prevented. However the zeolites can adsorb certain amount of contaminated liquid.

natural zeolite; cotton fabric; natural radioactivity; radioactive contamination

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