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ABSTRACT
The distribution of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 210Po and 210Pb radionuclides in the illuviated soils of Somwarpet taluk, Coorg district of Karnataka state are investigated. In a vertical profile, soil samples were collected and the activity concentrations of these radionuclides were determined. The activity concentration of 210Po and 210Pb was determined using the radioanalytical method. The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclides in the lowest layer or the illuviated horizon of the vertical profile were found to be highest, due to accumulation of organic matter and clay. The average 210Po and 210Pb activity concentration is 12.49 Bq kg−1 and 33.94 Bq kg−1 in the top layer of the soil, 3.01 Bq kg−1 and 16.96 Bq kg−1 in the second layer, and 1.53 Bq kg−1 and 7.11 Bq kg−1 in the third layer respectively, which is high in the top surface of the soil. The determined physico-chemical parameters and the dependence of radionuclides were analysed using Pearson correlation analysis, which shows that insignificant associations could be attributable to changes in physico-chemical characteristics of soil in different sampling locations.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).