scholarly journals Radioactivity of soil in Croatia II: 137Cs, 40K, and absorbed dose rate

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Marko Šoštarić ◽  
Branko Petrinec ◽  
Mak Avdić ◽  
Ljerka Petroci ◽  
Milica Kovačić ◽  
...  

Abstract We took samples of uncultivated soil from the surface layer (0–10 cm) at 138 sites from all over Croatia and measured their radionuclide activity concentrations with high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. This second part of our report brings the results on 40K and 137Cs to complement those on the 232Th and 238U decay chains addressed in the first part. Together they give the most complete picture of radioactivity of Croatian soil so far. Activity concentrations of 40K were the highest in the Pannonian region, and there was an opposite trend for 137Cs. We found that the concentrations of 137Cs tended to increase with altitude, annual precipitation, and vegetation density. The concentration ratio of 137Cs and K in soil, which indicates the potential for 137Cs entering food chains via uptake by plants, was the lowest in agriculturally important areas in the east of the Pannonian region. In addition, we used the obtained results on activity concentrations to calculate the related absorbed dose rate as a measure of external exposure to ionising radiation from soil. The sum of the absorbed dose rates for naturally occurring radionuclides and 137Cs showed that external exposure was generally the highest in the Dinaric region and Istrian Peninsula.

Author(s):  
P.M. Gyuk ◽  
J.O. Anaegbu ◽  
H.O. Aboh ◽  
R. Daniel ◽  
A. Aruwa ◽  
...  

The background radiation of the areas was collected at random for each point using a rados survey meter. The detectors (two rados survey meter were used) were placed 1 meter above the ground with the operator positioned a few meters away. Three (3) readings were taking from each detector in other to reduce error or reach accuracy in obtaining the background readings from each randomly selected point where soil samples were later collected. In the current study, the concentration levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) of 40K, 232Th, and 238U in the surface soil samples of selected areas in kigo road new extension Kaduna north, Kaduna in Nigeria were studied. The collected soil samples were analyzed by means of gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean activity concentrations of the natural occurring radionuclides of  226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the soil samples were estimated to be 62, 78.35, 227.17 Bq/kg respectively for kigo road new extension respectively. Radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent were also calculated for assessment of radiological risk. External hazard value (Hex) is between 0.3163 and 0.9557 and Internal hazard value is between 0.4462 and 1.1618. The worldwide average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples from various studies around the world have values of 37, 30 and 400 Bq/kg respectively [UNSCEAR, 2000]. The values compared well with published data from UNSCEAR shows Ra-226, Th-232 from the location are well above the standards while K-40 below the risk value.


2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Carson ◽  
P B Holman ◽  
K L Ford ◽  
J A Grant ◽  
R B K Shives

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 139-147
Author(s):  
S.T. Gbenu ◽  
O.W. Makinde ◽  
E. Ajenifuja ◽  
S.F. Olukotun ◽  
M.K . Fasasi ◽  
...  

The activity concentrations of U, Th and K in the soil samples of Ondo State, Nigeria, were determined using gamma spectrometry technique and the associated dose rates were calculated. The Kriging interpolation method was used to create the activity concentrations predictive maps of Ondo State with the aid of ArcGIS software. The validity of the predicted map values was established through validation and cross validation 238 processes. The activity concentrations ranged from 19.15±0.90 – 83.70±3.59 Bq/kg for U, 8.01±0.39 – 232 40 114.48±2.48 Bq/kg for Th and 2.75±0.13 – 501.98±24.56 for K. The absorbed dose rate was found to range -1 -1 from 39.39±0.21 to 177.24±5.23 nGyh with an average value of 90.94±3.13 nGyh . The predicted map obtained compares well with published values for the region. The root mean squared standardized errors 238 232 40 obtained were 1.021194, 1.024182 and 0.998373 for U, Th and K, respectively. These validated the appropriateness of the model used and the accuracy of the predicted values. Keywords: Soil, Radioactivity; Geographic Information Systems; Map; Gamma Ray Spectrometry


2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 659-672
Author(s):  
Sk. A. K. Arafin ◽  
Md. Sapan Bhuiyan ◽  
Jannatul Ferdous ◽  
M. Ashraful Hoque ◽  
A. K. M. Rezaur Rahman ◽  
...  

The study aimed to investigate natural radioactivity levels and Transfer Factors of natural radionuclides from soil to some plants in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The concentrations of naturally occurring and anthropogenic radionuclides in soil and plants were measured in this work to determine the absorbed dose rate and the transfer factors of radionuclides from soil to plant. Plants (Spinach and Vegetables) and corresponding soil samples were collected from three different locations in Chittagong (Nasirabad, Sitakunda, and Halda Agrotechnology), and the concentrations of activity of natural radionuclides were measured using gamma-ray spectrometry. The average absorbed dose rate in the soil of Nasirabad, Sitakunda, and Halda Agrotechnology are 49.84 nGyh-1, 37.4 nGyh-1, and 45.6 nGyh-1. The average transfer factor from soil to plants, recorded for 238U, 232Th, and 40K of these study areas, are 0.461, 0.400, and 3.10, respectively. The ratio of soil to plant transfer factor for the present study compared with some previous work. The Transfer Factor of 40K gives some high value but does not exceed the limit of the different published values. Because there are no existing databases for the natural radioactivity in soil and plants from Chittagong, Bangladesh, our results are establishing a database for the Chittagong, Bangladesh soil and plants. This data may be used as a database for further investigation for the betterment of public health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Penabei ◽  
D. Bongue ◽  
P. Maleka ◽  
T. Dlamini ◽  
Saïdou ◽  
...  

In order to assess the levels of natural radioactivity and the associated radiological hazards in some building materials of the Mayo-Kebbi region (Chad), a total of nineteen samples were collected on the field. Using a high resolution γ-ray spectrometry system, the activity concentrations of radium (226Ra), thorium (232Th) and potassium (40K) in these samples have been determined. The measured average activity concentrations range from 0.56 ± 0.37 Bq kg−1 to 435 ± 7 Bq kg−1, 1.3 ± 0.6 Bq kg−1 to 50.6 ± 1.1 Bq kg−1 and 4.3 ± 2.0 Bq kg−1 to 840 ± 9 Bq kg−1, for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The highest 226Ra average activities is found in soil brick samples of Zabili. The highest mean value of 232Th and 40K concentrations are found in soil brick samples of Madajang. The activity concentration and the radium equivalent activity (Raeq) have been compared to other studies done elsewhere in the world. Their average values are lower than most of those of countries with which the comparison has been made. Were also evaluated, the external radiation hazard index, the internal radiation hazard index, the indoor air absorbed dose rate, the outdoor air absorbed dose rate, the activity utilization index, the annual effective dose, the annual gonadal dose equivalent, the representative level index, as well as, the excess lifetime cancer risk. In accordance with the criterion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, our results show that soil brick samples of Zabili and Madajang increases the risk of radiation exposure, thereby the possibility of developing cancer by people living in this environment. Based on these findings, brick samples from Zabili and Madajang are not recommended for construction purposes. All other sample materials have properties that are acceptable for use as building materials in terms of radiation hazard.


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