Exposure risk assessment of uranium intake of the milk products from the region of Pernambuco, Brazil

In a project sponsored by the NUCLEBRaS, were mapped uraniferous anomalies in the municipalities of Pedra and Venturosa, in the rural region of Pernambuco, Brazil. As these municipalities are the main milk producers in this State, it was of interest in this work to investigate the levels of natural uranium in milk, curdled cheese and milk whey, produced by the cattle in these districts and nearby areas. Conventional uranium fluorimetry was used for analyses. The concentrations of uranium were higher in the milk whey. The milk and cheese produced in this area are insufficient to produce toxicity in the kidneys of humans.