Use of Gamma Ray Spectroscopy Measurements for Assessment of the Average Effective Dose from the Analysis of ~(226)Ra, ~(232)Th and ~(40)K in Soil Samples

摘要

The activity concentrations of soil samples collected from different locations of Ludhiana and Patialadistricts of Punjab were determined by using HPGe detector based on high-resolution gamma spectrometrysystem. The range of activity concentrations of ~(226)Ra, ~(232)Th and ~(40)K in the soil from the studied areas varies from23.32 Bq kg~(-1) to 43.64 Bq kg~(-1), 104.23 Bq kg~(-1) to 148.21 Bq kg~(-1) and 289.83 Bq kg~(-1) to 394.41 Bq kg~(-1) withoverall mean values of 32 Bq kg~(-1), 126 Bq kg~(-1)and 348 Bq kg~(-1) respectively. The absorbed dose rate calculatedfrom activity concentration of ~(226)Ra, ~(232)Th and ~(40)K ranges between 10.75 and 20.12, 64.93 and 92.33, and 11.99and 16.32 nGy h~(-1), respectively. The total absorbed dose in the study area ranges from 91.35 nGy h~(-1) to 119.76nGy h~(-1) with an average value of 107.97 nGy h~(-1). The calculated values of external hazard index (Hex) for the soilsamples of the study area range from 0.55 to 0.72. Since these values are lower than unity, therefore, accordingto the Radiation Protection 112 (European Commission, 1999) report, soil from these regions is safe and can beused as a construction material without posing any significant radiological threat to population.