Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T13:52:41.548Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Occurrences of NORMS and 137Cs in soils of the Singhbhum region of Eastern India and associated Radiation Hazard

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2009

A. Chakrabarty ,
R. M. Tripathi  and
V. D. Puranik
A. Chakrabarty
Affiliation:
Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India
R. M. Tripathi
Affiliation:
Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India
V. D. Puranik
Affiliation:
Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India
Get access

Abstract

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMS) and fallout 137Cs were estimated in surface soils from the highly mineralized Singhbhum region of Eastern India. The activity concentrations varied from 50.67-109.14 Bq/kg (238U), 48.12-142.55 Bq/kg (226Ra), 28.73-89.78 Bq/kg (232Th), 494.84-1121.36 Bq/kg (40K) and 1.8-7.48 Bq/kg (137Cs). Correlation between radionuclides was studied. 232Th/238U concentration (Clark value) was also calculated. Radiation hazard for the samples was assessed by radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin) and absorbed gamma dose rate (D). Raeq values ranged from 216-263 Bq/kg, Hex values from 0.58-0.71 Bq/kg, Hin values from 0.73-1 Bq/kg and D values from 100-121 nGy/h. Calculated and observed dose rates in air were compared with the help of parametric and non-parametric tests. The tests showed significant difference between the calculated and observed dose rates.

Keywords

natural radioactivityactivity concentrationradiation hazarddose rate
Type
Research Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 55 - 68
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahmad, N. et al. (1997) Indoor radon levels and natural radioactivity in Jordanian soil, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 71, 231-233.
Al-Jundi, J. (2002) Population doses from terrestrial gamma exposure in areas near to old phosphate mine, Russaifa, Jordan, Radiat. Meas. 35, 23-28. CrossRef
Aslani, A.A.M. et al. (2003) Activity concentration of caesium-137 in agricultural soils, J. Environ. Radioact. 65, 131-145. CrossRef
Baeza A. et al. (1992) Natural radioactivity in soils in the province of Caceres (Spain), Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 45 (1/4), 261-263. CrossRef
Bahari I. et al. (2007) Radioactivity and radiological risk associated with effluent sediment containing technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials in amang (tin tailings) processing industry, J. Environ. Radioact. 95(2-3), 161-170. CrossRef
Bellia, S. et al. (1997) Natural radioactivity in a volcanic island Ustica, Southern Italy, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 48, 287-293. CrossRef
Beretka, J., Mathew, J. (1985) Natural radioactivity of Australian building materials. Industrial wastes and by-products, Health Phys. 48, 87-95. CrossRef
Chowdhury, M.I. et al. (1999) Distribution of radionuclides in the river sediments and coastal soils of Chittagaong, Bangladesh and evaluation of the radiation hazard, Appl. Rad. Isot. 51, 747-755. CrossRef
Dikshitulu, G.R. et al. (1997) Uranium mineralization at Mouldih, Singhbhum shear zone, Bihar – An ore petrological study, J. At. Min. Sci. 5, 81-86.
Dragoviæ, S. et al. (2006) Classification of soil samples according to geographic origin using gamma-ray spectrometry and principal component analysis, J. Environ. Radioact. 89, 150-158. CrossRef
El-Arabi, A.M. (2005) Natural radioactivity in sand used in thermal therapy at the Red Sea Coast, J. Environ. Radioact. 81, 11-19. CrossRef
El-Dine, N.W. (2008) Study of natural radioactivity and the state of radioactive disequilibrium in U-series for rock samples, North Eastern Desert, Egypt, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 66, 80-85. CrossRef
Faure G. (1986) Principles of Isotope Geology, 2nd Ed. Wiley, New York.
Fernandez J.C. et al. (1992) Natural radiation in Tenerife (Canary Islands), Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 45(1/4), 545-548.
Florou H. et al. (1992) Gamma radiation measurements and dose rates in the coastal areas of a volcanic island, Aegean Sea, Greece, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 45(1/4), 277-279. CrossRef
Godoy et al. (1998) 137Cs, 226, 228Ra, 210Pb and 40K Concentrations in Antarctic Soil, Sediment and Selected Moss and Lichen Samples, J. Environ. Radioact. 41(1), 33-45. CrossRef
Hamarneh, I.A. et al. (2003) Radioactivity concentrations of 40K, 134Cs, 137Cs, 90Sr, 241Am, 238Pu and 239+240Pu radionuclides in Jordanian soil samples, J. Environ. Radioact. 67, 53-67. CrossRef
Higgy R.H. (2002) Radioactivity in sediment and sea-water used in climatotherapy in Safaga, Red Sea, Egypt. In: Sixth Radiation Phys. Conf. Arab Journal of Nuclear Science and Applications, 581-587.
Karahan, G. et al. (2000) Assessment of gamma dose rates around Istanbul, J. Environ. Radioact. 47, 213-221. CrossRef
Kumar A. et al. (2007) A non-parametric statistical analysis in the measurement of outdoor gamma exposure to the residents around Trombay, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 124(4), 378-384. CrossRef
La Brecque, et al. (1992) The preliminary results of the measurements of environmental levels of 40K and 137Cs in Venezuela, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A 312, 217-222. CrossRef
Lavi, N. et al. (2006) Monitoring and surveillance of radio-cesium in cultivated soils and foodstuff samples in Israel 18 years after the Chernobyl disaster, Radiat. Meas. 46, 78-83. CrossRef
Martinez-Aguirre, A. et al. (1997) Radioactivity impact of phosphate ore processing in a wet marshland in southwestern Spain, J. Environ. Radioact. 34, 45-57. CrossRef
Ménager M.T. et al. (1993) Migration of uranium from uranium-mineralised fractures into the rock matrix in granite: implications for radionuclide transport around a radioactive waste repository. In: Fourth Internatoinal Conference of Chemistry and Migration Behaviour of Actinides and Fission Products in the Geosphere (Migration 1993), Charleston, USA, 12-17 December 1993, Radiochim. Acta 66/67, 47-83.
Mohanty A.K. et al. (2004) Natural radioactivity in the newly discovered high background radiation area on the eastern coast of Orissa, India, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 38(2), 153-165.
Nada A. (2003) Evaluation of natural radionuclides at Um-Greifat area, eastern desert of Egypt. Appl. Radiat. Isot. 58(2), 275-280. CrossRef
Nageswara M.V. et al. (1996) Natural radioactivity in soil and radiation levels of Rajasthan, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 63(3), 631-642.
Nambi, K.S.V. et al. (1987) Country-wide Environmental Radiation Monitoring using thermoluminescent Dosimeters, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 18, 31-38.
Porêba, G. et al. (2003) Concentration and vertical distribution of 137Cs in agricultural and undisturbed soils from Chechlo and Czarnocin areas, Geochronometria 22, 67-72.
Probonas M. et al. (1993) The exposure of the Greek population to national gamma radiation of terrestrial origin, Radiat. Protect. Dosim. 46(2), 123-126. CrossRef
Sankaran A.V. et al. (1986) U, Th and K Distrbutions Inferred From Regional Geology and the Terrestrial Radiation Profiles in India, BARC Report.
Selvasekarapandian S. et al. (1999) Gamma radiation dose from radionuclides in soil samples of Udagamandalam (OOTY) in India, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 82(3), 225-228. CrossRef
Selvasekarapandian S. et al. (2000) Natural radionuclide distribution in soils of Gudalore, India, Appl. Radiat. Isot. 52(2), 299-306. CrossRef
Selvasekarapandian S. (2001) Background radiation survey of the Nilgiris Biosphere of Peninsular India, Final report of the DAE/BRNS sponsored project, 1995-1999, Coimbatore, April, 2001.
Shanbhag A.A. et al. (2005) Natural radioactivity content in beach sands of Ratnagiri coast, Maharashtra, Environm. Geochem. 8(1-2), 304-308.
Steinhausler S. et al. (1992) Radiometric survey in Namibia, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 45(1/4), 553–555. CrossRef
Sunta C.M. et al. (1981) Analysis of dosimetry data of high natural radioactivity areas of SW coast of India. In: Vohra, K.G. (Ed.), Proc. Natural Radiation Environment, New Delhi, 35-42.
Tzortzis, M. et al. (2004) Determination of thorium, uranium and potassium elemental concentrations in surface soils in Cyprus, J. Environ. Radioact. 77, 325-338. CrossRef
UNSCEAR (1993) Sources, effects and risks of ionizing radiation. Report to the General Assembly, with Scientific Annexes. UN, New York.
UNSCEAR (2000) Sources and Effects of Ionising Radiation, United Nations. Report to General Assembly with Scientific Annexes. United Nations, New York.
Yu-Ming, L. et al. (1987) Measurement of terrestrial gamma radiation in Taiwan, Republic of China, Health Phys. 52, 805-811.