Determination of Radionuclides Concentrations in Surface Soil Samples in the District of Bandirma, Balıkesir

Abstract

Determination of the environmental radioactivity concentration value is very important as it directly effects human health. Natural and artificial radionuclide concentration levels have been determined by looking ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides. In this study, natural and artificial continental radionuclide concentrations were measured in the Bandirma district of Balikesir. ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs radioactivity concentrations were detected with the aid of a high-purity germanium (HpGe) detector. Soil samples used in the study were selected from 30 different locations sampling points located in Bandirma. The radiological hazard indices such as absorbed gamma dose rate (D), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), exposure dose (ER), total annual effective dose (AED), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), internal hazard index (H_in), external hazard index (H_ex) and gamma representative level (GRL) were determined. The mean values of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs concentrations in this study were 15.81 ± 1.35 Bq kg⁻¹, 28.86 ± 1.07 Bq kg⁻¹, 276.86 ± 11.69 Bq kg⁻¹, and 1.98 ± 0.31 Bq kg⁻¹ respectively. The calculated radiological hazard parameters were compared with the world averages. The obtained radioactivity concentration values were measured to be below the world average.

Keywords:

• Natural radionuclides
• HpGe detector
• Radiological dose variables
• Soil samples

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank EtiMaden Company for providing us with the research environment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.