Title: Enrichment of 210Po and 210Pb in the Padubidri environs of Karnataka
Authors: V. Prakash, Y. Narayana
Addresses: Department of Studies in Physics, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri-574 199, D.K., Karnataka, India. ' Department of Studies in Physics, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri-574 199, D.K., Karnataka, India
Abstract: The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides, viz 210Po and 210Pb, in soil samples of Padubidri in the coastal Karnataka, the site for the proposed coal-based thermal power station, were measured using a ZnS (Ag) alpha counting system to establish baseline data on radioactivity levels in the environment of the region. Soil samples were collected at different sampling stations and analysed for 210Po and 210Pb activities to understand the distribution and enrichment of these radionuclides. The mean 210Po/210Pb ratio shows that the radionuclides 210Po and 210Pb are not in equilibrium, and the accumulation of 210Pb in soil is greater than that of 210Po. A good correlation was observed between the activities of 210Po and 210Pb. The absorbed gamma dose rates were also measured in the study area using a portable scintillometer.
Keywords: soil samples; activity; natural radionuclides; gamma dose rates; alpha counting system; lead; polonium; coal-based power stations; thermal power stations; radioactivity levels; India; radiation levels.
DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2007.017078
International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2007 Vol.3 No.4, pp.378 - 385
Published online: 06 Feb 2008 *
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