Abstract
The results of a study of the content of natural radionuclides (NR) (226Ra, 232Th, 40K) and technogenic 137Cs in soil samples formed on the most common types of soil-forming rocks of the North-West: lakeglacial (non-boulder and tape clay), glacial and water-glacial deposits are presented. Soil sections laid in the Pskov, Novgorod and Leningrad regions. The granulometric composition in the upper part of the soil profile is lighter than in the parent rock. This is reflected in the NR content in the profile of these soils: with a decrease in the fractions of physical clay and silt, the content of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K decreases. This is due to the fixation of natural radionuclides by secondary clay minerals. According to the increase in the average specific activity of all NRs, the soils form the following sequence: soils on water-glacial deposits soils on moraines - soils on lake-glacial deposits. A comparison of the average specific activity of natural radionuclides and their ranges in the upper part of the soil (0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm) and in the parent rock (90-100 cm) revealed a higher content of radionuclides in parent rocks (lake-glacial and moraine deposits). In the soils on water-glacial deposits, no significant difference was found.
Highlights
One of the most pressing environmental problems is the radiation pollution of ecosystems
It is either strongly averaged as is the case with the data presented in Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation (226Ra - average specific activity of 35 ± 4 Bq/kg, with a typical range of 17-60 Bq/kg; 232Th - 30 ± 3 Bq/kg, 11-64 Bq/kg; 40K - 400 ± 24 Bq/kg, 140-850 Bq/kg), or applies only to soils that have been contaminated with technogenic radionuclides at different times [1, 2]
The aim of the work is to study the content of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and technogenic 137Cs in soils formed on the three prevailing types of parent rocks
Summary
One of the most pressing environmental problems is the radiation pollution of ecosystems. Significant factual material has been accumulated on the radioactive contamination of soils in Russia. It is either strongly averaged as is the case with the data presented in Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation (226Ra - average specific activity of 35 ± 4 Bq/kg, with a typical range of 17-60 Bq/kg; 232Th - 30 ± 3 Bq/kg , 11-64 Bq/kg; 40K - 400 ± 24 Bq/kg, 140-850 Bq/kg), or applies only to soils that have been contaminated with technogenic radionuclides at different times [1, 2]. The aim of the work is to study the content of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and technogenic 137Cs in soils formed on the three prevailing types of parent rocks
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