Radioactivity of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K in soil in Northwest part of Turkey: assessment of radiological impacts
Seli̇n Özden
Abstract
Abstract The surface soil samples were collected from Northwest Turkey. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K were measured using an HPGe gamma-spectroscopy system. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K in the soils were found to be in the range of 11.78 ± 1.12–43.89 ± 14.94, 3.19 ± 2.01–88.22 ± 0.92, 362.81 ± 5.94–829.27 ± 12.38 Bq kg −1 d.w., respectively. The Surfer program was used to obtain 3-dimensional maps of the specific activities. Radium Equivalent Activity (Ra eq ), Absorbed Gamma Dose Rate ( D ), Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE), The Excess Life Time Cancer Risk (ELCR), External ( H ex ) and Internal ( H in ) Hazard Indexes, Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent (AGDE), and Activity Utilization Index (AUI) were calculated and compared with the recommended values. Pearson’s correlation analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA) were utilized to analyze the data and indicate between the radiological parameters. The analysis showed that the total radiation was mainly caused by 226 Ra and 232 Th.