Abstract
A HPGe (High Purity Germanium) detector based, low background gamma-ray counting system was used for activity measurement in soil, sand and sediment samples collected from Potenga sea beach area of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The specific radioactivities of Radium (226Ra), Thorium (232Th) and Potassium (40K) were measured in the above samples. The investigation reflects the lower deposition of minerals exist in the collected samples. From the measured specific radioactivities of the above three natural radionuclides, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the external hazard index (Hex), the external gamma absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose were calculated. The obtained mean values of gamma absorbed dose rate in soil and sand samples and annual effective dose in soil, sand and sediment samples were found higher than the worldwide average as reported by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR, 2000). The Raeq values were in the range of 47.86 to 293.76 Bq·kg-1 and the Hex varied from 0.13 - 0.81, which indicated that the study area was radiologically safe for human being.
Highlights
Radioactive elements that are found in nature can be placed in three general categories, namely cosmogenic, How to cite this paper: Yasmin, S., Barua, B.S., Kamal, M. and Rashid, Md.A. (2014) An Analysis for Distribution of Natural Radionuclides in Soil, Sand and Sediment of Potenga Sea Beach Area of Chittagong, Bangladesh
Of our daily life concern, the concentration of NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) which is characterised by cosmogenic and primordial can be increased above the natural background levels through specific industrial activities such as waste products of sludge etc. [4], and higher utilization of computed tomography (CT) and nuclear medicine [5]
Specific Activities The measured specific activities of the natural radionuclides 226Ra (238U), 232Th and 40K in soil, sand and sediment samples are given in Table 1, together with the standard deviation from the several values and their average for a radionuclide
Summary
Radioactive elements that are found in nature can be placed in three general categories, namely cosmogenic, How to cite this paper: Yasmin, S., Barua, B.S., Kamal, M. and Rashid, Md.A. (2014) An Analysis for Distribution of Natural Radionuclides in Soil, Sand and Sediment of Potenga Sea Beach Area of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The high energy primary cosmic radiation induces various complex interactions with the earth’s atmosphere, and results to cosmogenic radionuclides and produces secondary radiation [1]. Only a part of these radiations reach the earth’s surface because the earth atmosphere acts as a filter and absorbs much of the energy of the cosmic rays. Primordial radionuclides which are left on earth since its creation, dominate in the wider environment such as in all types of soil, rocks, water, air, building materials, food and the human body [2]. [4], and higher utilization of computed tomography (CT) and nuclear medicine [5]. Without these artificial sources our annual background doses do not change significantly
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