Outdoor and indoor natural background gamma radiation across Kerala, India

The average annual outdoor background radiation dosage across the study area was ∼two times greater than the world average. Higher radiation dosage was observed in indoor environments than outdoors in the majority of the sampling locations.

Assessment of Background Radiation, Annual Effective Dose and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk in Gonabad City

Purpose: Humans are always exposed to ionizing radiation from their environment, which can have destructive effects. This study aimed to measure background gamma radiation and estimate annual effective dose and excess cancer risk in Gonabad city. Materials and Methods: The dose rate due to indoor and outdoor background radiation was measured by RDS-30 radiation survey meter at five zones on the map, including North, South, East, West, and center. Then, the annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were calculated by associated equations. Results: Mean dose rates for outdoor and indoor spaces were 0.111 µSv/h and 0.139 µSv/h, respectively. The mean background dose rate of indoor space was significantly higher than that of outdoor space. Annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were obtained as 0.817 and 2.85×10-3, respectively. Conclusion: Background radiation dose, annual effective dose, and cancer risk for Gonabad city were higher than global ones. Further investigations are needed to encompass internal background radiation doses in annual effective dose.

Natural Gamma-Ray Background Characterization in Pyhasalmi Mine

<p>We present the results of measuring the gamma-ray background performance of Pyhasalmi mine, the deepest one in Europe. Two underground facilities in Lab 2 (1440 m) and Lab 5 (1410 m) were investigated. Based on measurements made in Lab 2 with a low-background HPGe spectrometer, we determined the integral gamma-ray background count rate in the energy range of 40 keV to 2.7 MeV to be 0.095 s<sup>–1</sup> kg<sup>–1</sup>. The minimum detectable activities of some natural and artificial nuclides were less than 0.071 Bq/kg (<sup>226</sup>Ra), 0.77 Bq/kg (<sup>40</sup>K) and 0.012 Bq/kg (<sup>137</sup>Cs). The specific activities of natural nuclides in the shotcrete covering the walls of the Lab 2 were higher than those in the rock: 100.3 Bq/kg (<sup>232</sup>Th), 161.7 Bq/kg (<sup>226</sup>Ra) and 1171 Bq/kg (<sup>40</sup>K) in the shotcrete covering and 47.6 Bq/kg (<sup>232</sup>Th), 83.1 Bq/kg (<sup>226</sup>Ra) and 1513 Bq/kg (<sup>40</sup>K) in the rock. The measurements showed that the gamma-ray background level in Lab 5 is significantly lower than that in Lab 2. The integrated gamma-ray background count rate for the energy range of 40 keV to 2.7 MeV was 0.028 s<sup>–1</sup> kg<sup>–1</sup> for Lab 5. Purging the measuring chamber of the gamma spectrometer with nitrogen gas at a rate of 0.15 L/h allowed to further improve this parameter to 0.021 s<sup>–1</sup> kg<sup>–1</sup>. In general, the results of this study confirm that the level and energy spectrum of background gamma radiation in the underground facility within the studied energy range is defined mainly by the composition of the walls of the Labs.</p><p> </p>

An insight into the quality of internal built environment in Vladivostok. Part 1: Studying background radiation in residential premises

Introduction. The article addresses background gamma radiation in residential premises of apartment buildings in Vladivostok. This study is based on earlier research undertakings focused on the sick building syndrome (SBS), which proves its high relevance. The research is focused on the intensity of background gamma radiation in the residential premises of apartment buildings in Vladivostok. New data obtained in the course of the field experiments, the scale of their analysis, the coverage of substantive issues concerning radiation intensity and its monitoring in residential buildings guarantee the novelty of this research project. These findings also have a practical value that deals with environmental safety. Materials and methods. Onsite examinations were conducted in the form of background gamma radiation measurements taken in versatile apartment buildings, built at different times and made of different materials. Results. This section contains analytical information about the lack of influence of the location of apartment buildings on background radiation inside the apartments examined within the framework of this research project. Measurement results represent a range of values depending on construction materials used. Principal regularities, derived from the measurement results, are based on the time of operation of residential buildings, which is of practical importance. Conclusions. Patterns of influence of building parameters on background radiation inside apartments allow to assess the condition of residential buildings. Background radiation information can be entered into BIM databases and used to formulate the approach to the design of buildings and urban infrastructure so that they were focused on their residents and users. Background radiation research findings, entered into the database and contributed to design algorithms which are customized to the needs of urban residents, will enable designers to project the overall quality of the living environment encompassing the built environment analyzed in this article and other nearby buildings and structures located in Vladivostok.

High Terrestrial Radiation Level in an Active Tin-Mine at Jos South, Nigeria

Mineral mining and milling can be a source of national economic and technological development. However, mining of minerals has been confirmed to disturb the natural distribution of radioisotopes in the soil, air and water bodies in the biota. In an attempt to evaluate the radiological burden resulting from tin mining activities at Rayfield-Du area of Jos, the background gamma-radiation level in the mine was measured via a well calibratedhand-held dosimeter placed at 1 m above ground level. The mean absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate and excess lifetime cancer risk for the mine was 0.83 μSvh-1; 1.44 mSv-1 and 0.005 respectively. Generally, dose rates were higher in the mine pits and processing areas as compared to administrative areas of the mine. The mean measured dose rate and calculated dose parameters for the mine were all high when compared to the regulatory limit for public exposure. The potential of developing radiation-induced health defects as a result of high radiation absorbed dose rate by the miners and dwellers around the mine is highly probable. Keywords: Gamma-radiation; mine; absorbed dose rate; radiation exposure.