Abstract
In this study, in-situ and laboratory γ-ray spectroscopy techniques were compared to evaluate the activity concentration of natural radionuclides in soil. The activity concentrations of 238U (226Ra), 232Th, and 40K in the soil in 11 sites were simultaneously measured with in-situ portable HPGe and the NaI(Tl) detectors. In parallel, 55 soil samples collected from these sites were analyzed with a laboratory γ-ray spectroscopy technique (HPGe). A strong correlation was observed between the in-situ and laboratory HPGe techniques with a linear correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.99 for 226Ra and 232Th and 0.975 for 40K, respectively. The in-situ HPGe technique shows a strong correlation with the NaI(Tl) detector. γ-Rays cps of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K of the NaI (Tl) detector were then converted to specific activities (Bq kg−1 unit) in soil using the empirical formulas obtained in this study. The absorbed dose rate in air at 1 m height above ground due to these radionuclides was calculated using the Beck’s formula and the results were compared with measured values obtained with an high pressure ionization chamber. The results of the calculated and measured dose rate show a strong correlation of R2 = 0.96. The reliability and precision of analytical spectroscopy techniques of radioactivity and radiation dose were confirmed in this work.
Highlights
In soil using the empirical formulas obtained in this study
The specific activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in soil samples from 11 sites over Korea were precisely measured with several γ-ray spectroscopy techniques of in-situ HPGe and Na(Tl) and conventional laboratory HPGe detectors
A strong correlation between the measured radionuclides with in-situ and laboratory gamma spectrometers was observed, which indicates that in-situ HPGe detector can precisely measure the activity concentrations of 226Ra (238U), 232Th, and 40K at the ground level of the soil
Summary
Received: 5 April 2018 Accepted: 20 August 2018 Published: xx xx xxxx radionuclides and radiation dose using in-situ and laboratory γ-ray spectroscopy techniques. In-situ and laboratory γ-ray spectroscopy techniques were compared to evaluate the activity concentration of natural radionuclides in soil. To carry out the calibration using this method, it is necessary to measure these nuclides in advance, check the homogeneity of the concentration distributions in the calibration site, and determine the background count rate of the car-borne γ-ray spectrometry system. A convenient calibration method for car-borne γ- ray spectrometry has been discussed using a comparison of in-situ and laboratory γ-ray spectroscopy techniques without previous characterization of the calibration sites and determination of the background of the system, as a part of the nationwide terrestrial radiation survey. The γ-ray absorbed dose rate was measured with a high-pressure ionization chamber (HPIC) detector and the results were compared with values calculated using the radionuclide concentrations. ® as shown in Fig. 1B, which is a satellite image
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