Radioactivity concentration and radiological risk assessment of beach sand along the coastline in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

A radiological baseline survey was conducted using a calculation analysis to assess the 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs distribution in beach sand samples collected from the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. An analysis of the activity concentration of selected radionuclides was conducted. No evidence of recent migration of radiocaesium was found through precipitation, as well as indirect pathways, such as ocean runoff. The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs in beach sands ranged from 12 ± 1 to 37 ± 4 Bq kg− 1 (mean of 26 ± 3 Bq kg− 1); 18 ± 2 to 71 ± 8 Bq kg− 1 (mean of 40 ± 5 Bq kg− 1); 411 ± 10 to 720 ± 16 Bq kg− 1 (mean of 572 ± 12 Bq kg− 1); and 0.8 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.6 Bq kg− 1 (mean of 1.9 ± 0.3 Bq kg− 1), respectively. The radiological risk assessment showed that in all cases the values were lower than those that endanger life and safe work.