Radiological assessment of natural and fallout radioactivity in the soil of Chamba and Dharamshala areas of Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

This paper presents the results of measurement of natural and fallout radioactivity in soil samples of Chamba and Dharamshala areas in Himachal Pradesh, India. Spatial distribution of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 137Cs was determined using High resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean activity concentration in Chamba region due to 238U, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs was 32.3, 58.4, 588.3, and 10.9 Bq kg−1, respectively, whereas in Dharamshala it was 35.7, 61.3, 594.9, 10.0 Bq kg−1, respectively. Absorbed gamma dose rate (D) in air was calculated using appropriate dose conversion factors, which was varying from 45 to 103 nGy h−1. To control the radiation exposure due to natural radioactivity in soil, if it is used as building materials, radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and activity index were also evaluated. Radium equivalent activity calculated for the soil ranged from 95.5 to 234.2 Bq kg−1 with average of 171.0 Bq kg−1.The calculated Activity concentration index was ranged from 0.34 to 0.85 with an average value of 0.64. The natural and fallout radioactivity in soil of this region is comparable with Indian average and other parts of the world. The percentage contribution of 238U, 232Th and 40K and 137Cs to the average external gamma dose rate was 22, 46, 32, 2%, respectively. This shows that the dose contribution due to fallout radioactivity is negligible as compared to the natural radioactivity.