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Updated: Feb 27, 2026

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Published on: June 6, 2018
Natural radionuclides in electronic waste: an initial approach
Arykerne Nascimento Casado da Silva1, José Araújo Dos Santos Júnior1, Romilton Dos Santos Amaral1
1a Nuclear Energy Department , Federal University of Pernambuco , Recife , Brazil.
Abstract:
Some radionuclides are present in trace amount in the raw material of electronic devices that suffer obsolescence and are improperly disposed of. Obsolete personal computers become electronic waste and may contain potential environmental contaminants. Furthermore, there may be an additional concern: the ionizing radiation emission. This study aimed to assess qualitatively the possibility of alpha and beta particles and gamma rays reaching somehow workers involved in the handling of such wastes. Using gamma spectrometry method, we analyzed a set of 10 microprocessors randomly taken from motherboards incorrectly discarded. The analysis resulted in the occurrence of primordial radioisotopes in the microchips.
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