Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) concentration and health risk assessment of aerosols dust in Nicosia, North Cyprus
Hesham M.H. Zakaly, Akbar Abbasi, Nouf Almousa, Ahmet Savaşan
Abstract
Abstract This study was carried out to evaluate the distribution of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and radiological risk indexes in aerosol dust in Nicosia, Cyprus utilizing a high-resolution HPGe gamma-spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K in the selected aerosol dust samples ranged from 25.9–52.4, 21.7–46.3, to 471–1302 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The average activity concentrations of 40 K were found to be above the Earth's crust average. The internal and external hazard indexes are well below the acceptable limit in most dust samples. All investigated samples met the exemption dose limit of 0.3 mSv y −1 .
Topics & Concepts
AerosolEnvironmental scienceRadionuclideEnvironmental chemistryHealth riskRadiochemistryChemistryPhysicsEnvironmental healthNuclear physicsMedicineOrganic chemistryRadioactivity and Radon MeasurementsRadioactive contamination and transferGeochemistry and Geologic Mapping