Search

The 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activities were investigated in soil samples of Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, using γ-ray spectrometry. The average activity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to vary from 15.2 ± 0.6 to 58 ± 1.2 Bq kg−1, 14 ± 0.6 to 86.2 ± 1.7 Bq kg−1, and 224.5 ± 5.5 to 1650 ± 20.3 Bq kg−1 with a mean value of 36.93 ± 1.0, 51.6 ± 1.3 and 566.97 ± 11.0 Bq kg−1. The average activity concentrations are slightly higher than world average value. The average annual effective dose is more than the Indian average value of 0.084 mSv y−1. The average values of all the radiological hazards are less than the criterion limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the gamma absorbed dose rate (GADR) in 88 locations within five different geological regions of Uttara Kannada district. The measurements were made using a UR-705 environmental radiation dosimeter. The outdoor gamma absorbed dose rate varies from 44.5 to 220.0 nGy h–1 with the mean value of 78.0 nGy h–1, which is 1.3 times higher than the international average value of 59 nGy h–1. The indoor gamma absorbed dose rate varies from 57.3 to 242.5 nGy h–1 with an average of 90.0 nGy h–1, which is slightly higher than the world average of 84 nGy h–1 as suggested by UNSCEAR-2000. The estimated dose rate varies with the geological background and soil type. The total AEDE ranges from 0.3 to 1.38 mSv year–1 with an average of 0.53 mSv year–1. The average total AEDE is lower than the dose limit of 1 mSv year–1 for public, suggested by ICRP-1991. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]