Trace elements determined in mineral waters using INAA from Parque das Águas de Lambari and Contendas

Abstract

Mineral water, according to the Brazilian Law N 7.841 of August 8, 1945, "are those from natural springs or springs artificially captured that have chemical composition or physical or physicochemical properties other than ordinary waters, with characteristics that give them a drug action". In this same law, mineral waters can be classified according to their chemical composition in: oligomineral, radiferous, alkaline-bicarbonated, alkalineearthy, sulfated, sulphurous, nitrated, chlorinated, ferruginous, radioactive, thorioactive and carbogasous. In several Brazilian hydromineral resorts, springs of radioactive mineral water are commercially exploited and are consumed by the population that believes this practice is beneficial. For example, in thermal parks like Caxambu, Cambuquira, São Lourenço and Lambari (MG), the waters of the various springs are used for human consumption and are often associated with medicinal use, like diuretic and cathartic waters (with properties of cleaning, purification, facilitating hepato-biliary functions and stimulating intestinal function directly or indirectly), and waters with antiphlogistic properties (anti-inflammatory). Therefore, due to the recommendation of these waters as a form of treatment spent in spas, the present work was developed in Centro de Radiometria Ambiental – IPEN, with the aid of those responsible for the spas of Lambari and Águas de Contendas and, with the objective to perform an inorganic chemical characterization of the mineral waters of Parque das Águas of Lambari and Águas de Contendas. Samples of mineral waters were analyzed in duplicates and concentrated from 500 mL. The samples were irradiated at the IPEN Research Reactor IEA-R1, for a period of 6h under a thermal neutron flux of 1012 n cm􀀀2s􀀀1. In the samples of mineral waters of the Parque das Águas of Águas de Contendas the elements Ca, Co, Fe, Hf, K, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Th, Zn, La and Sm were found. Similarly, in the Parque das Águas of Lambari the elements Ca, Co, Fe, K, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Zn, La and Sm were found. The analysis of the samples of these water parks evidenced that the elements of greatest occurrence were La and Co.