Depth distribution of selected geogenic radionuclides (~(40)K, ~(226)Ra, ~(232)Th) and anthropogenic ~(137)Cs in an undisturbed forest soil in East Slovenia

摘要

To reinforce Slovenian radioecological survey information, 20 soil profiles divided into four depth increments of 10 cm were collected in an undisturbed forest in east Slovenia (46°44'N, 16°7'E) to establish the natural (~(40)K, ~(226)Ra and ~(232)Th) and anthropogenic (~(137)Cs) level of radioactivity. Using gamma spectrometry and depending on the depth increment, the average activity concentration of radionuclides ranged from 0.5 to 70 Bq kg~(-1) for ~(137)Cs, from 535 to ~(703) Bq kg~(-1) for ~(40)K, from 49 to 52 Bq kg~(-1) for ~(226)Ra and from 54 to 62 Bq kg~(-1) for ~(232)Th. Based on top soil data (0-10 cm), the radium equivalent activity (Ra_(eq)) is 167 ± 7 Bq kg~(-1), while absorbed dose rate (D) due to external gamma radiation of 79 ± 3 nGy h~(-1) is higher than the world population-weighted average, reported as 58 nGy h~(-1) by UNSCEAR.