Measurements of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K using gamma spectrometry to assess a first-order exposure risk for residents of Western Haryana, India
by Rohit Mehra
International Journal of Low Radiation (IJLR), Vol. 7, No. 3, 2010

Abstract: The measurements of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K using gamma spectrometry and measurements of radon concentration and exhalation rates using solid-state nuclear track (LR-115, Type-II plastic) detectors were used to assess a first-order exposure risk for people residing in the Fatehbad and Hissar districts in Western Haryana, India. The concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium in the soil samples varied from 19.24 Bq m⁻³ to 32.21 Bq m⁻³, 30.21 Bq m⁻³ to 64.25 Bq m⁻³ and 346.25 Bq m⁻³ to 607.32 Bq m⁻³, respectively, with average values of 26.46, 50.78 and 462.70 Bq m⁻³, respectively. The values of absorbed dose and annual effective dose (indoors and outdoors) were found to vary from 44.75 nGy h⁻¹ to 75.44 nGy h⁻¹, 0.22 mSv y⁻¹ to 0.37 mSv y⁻¹ and 0.05 mSv y⁻¹ to 0.09 mSv y⁻¹ respectively. The radon concentration and exhalation rates were also reported. The radium equivalent activities in all the soil samples were found to be lower than the limit (370 Bq kg⁻¹) and the value of H_ex in all the samples is less than unity.

Online publication date: Wed, 11-Aug-2010

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