The effect of air mass origin on the ambient concentrations of 7Be and 210Pb in Islamabad, Pakistan

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity Vol. 102; no. 1; pp. 35 - 42
• Main Authors: Ali, N., Khan, E.U., Akhter, P., Khattak, N.U., Khan, F., Rana, M.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aerosols ( 210Pb and 7Be); Aerosols - analysis; Air - analysis; Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Beryllium - analysis; Concentration; Exact sciences and technology; Lead Radioisotopes - analysis; Pakistan; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Radiation Monitoring; Radioisotopes - analysis; Radionuclides; Scavenging; Spectroscopy; Vertical mixing; Asia; Pakistan; Spectroscopy; Radionuclides; Aerosols ( 210Pb and 7Be); Concentration; Scavenging; Vertical mixing; Natural origin pollution; Radioactive pollution; Be; Radioactive aerosols; Lead 210; Cosmogenic factor; Urban area; Radioisotope; Beryllium 7; Pb and; Air mass; Seasonal variation; Geogenic factor; Aerosols; Air pollution; Concentration distribution; Gamma spectrometry
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2010.08.010

Concentration of radionuclides 210Pb and 7Be, having half lives of 22.3 years and 53.29 days, respectively, in the surface air samples of Islamabad (33.38° N, 73.10° E and Altitude ∼536 m asl.) are measured. The non-destructive technique of gamma-spectrometry, with a high purity germanium HPGe detector, was employed for the analysis of all samples. The annual average concentrations of 210Pb and 7Be in the surface air samples were determined as 0.284 ± 0.15 and 3.171 ± 1.14 mBq m −3, respectively. Our results have shown a seasonal variation of the concentration of 7Be in air samples with high values for the spring season. High concentrations for 210Pb are obtained when air masses originate from plain areas of Pothohar region, located in the South-West, West and North West of Islamabad. Our values of concentrations show a nice agreement with the relevant reported results.