Natural radioactivity concentrations and dose assessment in coastal sediments along the East Coast of Tamilnadu, India with statistical approach

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the activity concentration of 238U, 232Th and 40K in coastal sediments samples from Poombuhar to Karaikal along East coast of Tamilnadu, India using gamma ray spectrometry. The average activity concentration for 238U, 232Th and 40K were obtained as 36.82 (Bq kg−1), 50.11(Bq kg−1) and 320.38 (Bq kg−1), respectively. These obtained results were used to calculate the radiological hazard parameters like radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed gamma dose rate (DR), the annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), Annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), Activity utilization index (AUI), External hazard index (Hex), Internal hazard index (Hin), Gamma representative level index (RLI) and Excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). The computed radiological parameters values are compared with the internationally approved recommended values. The multivariate statistical method is used to simplify and organize large data sets to indicate natural associations between samples and variables.