Measurement of the radiation hazards and distribution of natural radioactive elements in the Graduate University of Advanced Technology

Abstract

The radiation hazards in each region depend on its surface distribution and activity of 232Th, 137Cs, 40K, and 238U radioactive elements. Due to the presence of personnel, professors, and students in the Graduate University of Advanced Technology (KGUT) environment, it is important to investigate the dose received due to 232Th, 137Cs, 40K, and 238U elements in the soil of this area. For this purpose, first, 44 soil samples were collected from different areas of the university, and the specific activity of 232Th, 137Cs, 40K, and 238U elements was obtained with the CsI (Tl) scintillation detector. Then, using radiation hazard equations, the distribution of radiation hazard parameters at the university zone has been calculated. The research results show that the average specific activity of 232Th, 137Cs, 40K, and 238U elements at the university zone is equal to 13.51, 4.53, 47.64, and 13.01 Bq/kg. The activities of 232Th, 40K, and 238U elements are below the permissible limit and 137Cs is higher than the permissible limit. Also, the average of Raeq, DY, Dout, Din, Dtot, Hex, Hin, Iγ, and ELCR radiation hazard quantities are 81.26 (Bq/kg), 72.31 (mGy/y), 0.088 (mGy/y), 0.088 (mGy/y), 0.17 (mGy/y), 0.11, 0.15, 0.18 and 0.62 respectively. According to the results the DY and Dout radiation hazards are more than the permissible limit and the rest of the radiation hazard parameters are less than the permissible limit. Results have shown that the Annual Effective Dose outside (soil) and inside (soil and granite) of the KGUT office building was (22 ± 0.22) μSv/y, (0.13 ± 0.0013) mSv/y. Finally, the distribution of natural radioactive elements and radiation hazards in different parts of the university shows that except for DY and Dout, all radiation hazard parameters in the administrative buildings and dormitories of the university are less than the permissible limit. Therefore, the annual presence of staff, students, and professors in the university are allowed.