Natural and fallout radioactivity levels and radiation hazard evaluation in soil samples

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences Vol. 75; no. 5; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Karatasli, M, Turhan, S, Varinliolu, A, Yeingil, Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biogeosciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Environmental Science and Engineering; Geochemistry; Geology; Health hazards; Health risks; Hydrology/Water Resources; Inhalation; Ionizing radiation; Nuclear power plants; Original Article; Radiation; Radiation hazards; Radioactivity; Radon; Soil surfaces; Soils; Terrestrial Pollution; Turkey, Icel, Mersin; Fallout radioactivity; Natural radioactivity; Radon; Soil; Gamma dose rate; Annual effective dose rate; Lifetime cancer risk
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-016-5414-y

The present study aims to obtain the baseline data on natural and fallout radioactivity and to evaluate radiation hazards caused by ionizing radiation emitted from 226 Ra, 232 Th, 222 Rn, 40 K and 137 Cs in surface soil samples collected from Mersin province and Akkuyu nuclear power plant region. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K and 137 Cs were measured using a gamma spectrometer with HPGe detector. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K and 137 Cs varied from 14.1 ± 0.7 to 65.4 ± 2.9, 12.0 ± 0.8–51.7 ± 2.1, 172.2 ± 15.8–511.1 ± 37.8 and <MDA to 86.2 ± 1.4 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The average concentrations of radon in soil and air were estimated as 23.9 kBq m −3 and 76 Bq m −3 . The radiological parameters such as absorbed gamma dose rate in outdoor air (DR out ), annual effective dose rate from external exposure ( E Ext ), annual effective dose rate from inhalation of radon ( E Inh ) and lifetime cancer risk (LTCR) were calculated to evaluate radiological hazards. The average values of DR out , E Ext , E Inh and LTCR were found to be 51 nGy h −1 , 62 μSv year −1 , 715 μSv year −1 and 2.2 × 10 −4 , respectively.