Title: The effective dose to the public of Kerman province from gamma emitter terrestrial radionuclides

Authors: S. Hafezi, A. Shokraei, H. Sajadi, A. Najafi

Addresses: National Radiation Protection Department, Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Iran. ' National Radiation Protection Department, Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Iran. ' National Radiation Protection Department, Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Iran. ' National Radiation Protection Department, Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Iran

Abstract: The concentration of the most important terrestrial radionuclides in soil that constitute significant components of the background exposure source of the population, such as ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, were measured by gamma spectrometry in 58 surface soil samples in Kerman province, Iran. The average activity concentrations were found to be 23.8 ± 3.6, 28.8 ± 4.3 and 489.6 ± 48.9 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The average outdoor gamma absorbed dose rate in the air at 1 m above ground level was calculated to be 45.4 nGy h kg⁻¹. The average outdoor gamma dose rate in the air due to terrestrial and cosmic radiation was found to be at about 92.4 nGy h kg⁻¹. By using the data that are obtained in this study, the average annual effective dose equivalent for a person who lives in Kerman was found to be at about 113.3 μSv y kg⁻¹.

Keywords: gamma radiation dose; Kerman province; Iran; radionuclide concentrations; outdoor effective dose; terrestrial radionuclides; soil samples; low radiation; annual effective dose.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2009.026234

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2009 Vol.6 No.1, pp.1 - 7

Published online: 29 May 2009 *

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