Assessment of heavy metals and radionuclides (<sup>238</sup>U, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K) concentration of beach sands collected from East Coast of Tamilnadu, India with multivariate statistical approach
S. Chandrasekaran, G. Sankaran Pillai, B. Venkatraman
Abstract
This paper discusses the relation between the heavy metal and radionuclide activity concentration in beach sand samples collected from East Coast of Tamilnadu. The elemental composition in beach sands is determined by EDXRF technique. The mean concentrations of elements followed in the order of Si > Ca > Fe > Al > Mg > K > Ti > Mn > Zr > Sr > Zn > Pb > Ni > Cu > Cd > Co in the study area. A NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer has been used to determine activity concentration of 238U, 232Th and 40K in sand samples. The measured activity in the sand samples ranged from 3.0 to 1766.8 Bqkg−1, 3.0 to 8326.88 Bqkg−1 and 11 to 1434.9 Bqkg−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The measured natural radioactivity concentration was compared with worldwide average values as reported by UNSCEAR. The interrelation between the natural radioactivity and heavy metal concentration is determined using Pearson correlation coefficient, factor and cluster analysis for finding existing relation between them. The results showed that there is a significant relation of heavy metals for heavy minerals which can contribute radioactivity concentration based on the correlation and factor analysis.