Environmental radioactivity studies in the soil of a coniferous forest

• Published in: Radiation measurements Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 525 - 528
• Main Authors: Segovia, N., Gaso, M.I., Alvarado, E., Peña, P., Morton, O., Armienta, M.A., Reyes, A.V.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Forest soil; Geochronology; Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology; Major and trace elements; Pollution, environment geology; Radionuclides; Radon; Mexico; Radionuclides; Forest soil; Radon; Major and trace elements; radon; altitude; radium; atmospheric emission; radiation damage; radionucleids; pollution; North America; Rn-222; trace-element analyses; forest soils; soils; K-40; radioactivity; U-235; Ra-226; detection; Cs-137; concentration; tracks; contamination; major-element analyses
• ISSN: 1350-4487; 1879-0925
• DOI: 10.1016/S1350-4487(03)00195-1

222 Rn , 137 Cs , 235 U , 226 Ra and 40 K were determined in the soil of a forest zone located at 3000 m altitude in Central Mexico where a Nuclear Research Centre (NCM) is settled. The radon concentration was measured with SSNTD and the gamma emitters were evaluated with an HPGe detector. The radon levels were low and relatively stable. A moderate 235 U and 226 Ra punctual contamination generated from an unplanned release was identified at the NCM. Major elements showed small geological differences between the sites while trace elements indicated the effect of atmospheric pollution on surface soil.