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Published on: August 22, 2014
Radioactivity of peat mud used in therapy
Maria Karpińska1, Krystian Mnich2, Jacek Kapała1
1Medical University of Bialystok, Department of Biophysics, Mickiewicza 2A, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland.
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to determine the contents of natural and artificial isotopes in peat mud and to estimate the radiation dose absorbed via skin in patients during standard peat mud treatment. The analysis included 37 samples collected from 8 spas in Poland. The measurements of isotope concentration activity were conducted with the use of gamma spectrometry methods. The skin dose in a standard peat mud bath therapy is approximately 300 nSv. The effective dose of such therapy is considered to be 22 nSv. The doses absorbed during peat mud therapy are 5 orders of magnitude lower than effective annual dose absorbed from the natural radiation background by a statistical Pole (3.5 mSv). Neither therapeutic nor harmful effect is probable in case of such a small dose of ionising radiation.
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