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All living creatures in nature are constantly exposed to ionising radiation, which is emitted from natural and artificial radiation sources. For this reason, it is important to monitor the levels of radioactivity in living spaces and visited areas. In this study, natural (238U, 232Th, 40K) and artificial (137Cs) radioactivity concentrations in sediment samples taken from Borçka Black Lake located on the Nature Park in Artvin province were determined using a high purity germanium detector (HPGe). It was determined that 238U, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs radioisotope concentrations in the sediment samples varied between 8.73 and 26.45, 7.01 and 22.98, 289.92 and 578.98, and 6.26 and 70.96 Bq kg−1, respectively. Mean radioactivity concentrations were found to be 14.99 ± 0.89 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 13.85 ± 1.10 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, 473.67 ± 14.21 Bq kg−1 for 40K and 35.06 ± 0.96 Bq kg−1 for 137Cs. In order to evaluate the radiological hazards, radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, absorbed dose rate in the air, the annual effective dose rate and excess life time cancer risk were calculated and compared with the values recommended by international organisations. As a result, it has been shown with this study that the radioactivity caused by the examined radioisotopes will not pose any health risk for the visitors of Borçka Black Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to investigated background levels of radioisotopes 137Cs (Cesium), 232Th (Thorium), 40K (Potassium), and 226Ra (Radium) in all samples taken from two important rivers of the Sinop province prior to the nuclear power plant. The sediment samples were taken from the Karasu (80 km) and Kabalı (51.3 km) rivers at 2 km distances in July 2019, the month with the least precipitation, and in December 2018, the month with the most precipitation, before the nuclear power plant built in the Sinop province became active. The concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K in the collected sediment samples were measured using a high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K in the sediment samples taken from the Karasu River in December and in July were in the range of 3.08–29.40 Bq/kg, 2.95–19.10 Bq/kg, 0.35–61.13 Bq/kg and 54.83–495.02 Bq/kg, respectively. In the sediment samples collected from the Kabalı River in December and in July, 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K activity concentrations were in the range of 5.79–25.65 Bq/kg, 3.35–19.55 Bq/kg, 0.97–7.23 Bq/kg and 141.66–446.77 Bq/kg, respectively. Some risk parameters were also calculated to assess radiological hazards. These values were found to be lower than the world averages recommended by international organizations. Based on all the results obtained, it can be concluded that the examined samples do not pose a radiological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transport and radiological traces of natural and artificial radionuclides in the samples taken from the boron waste storage area of the Bandırma boron production facility have been investigated. Boron raw materials were supplied from Kirka (Turkey) and Emet (Turkey) quarries. Radiological dose values were examined in nine different samples. The samples coded A3, A10 and A11 represent waste derived from just the Emet deposit, whereas samples A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, and A9 were waste derived from both Kirka and Emet deposits. Natural and artificial radionuclide concentration levels of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs in these wastes were determined using a high-purity germanium detector. The calculations showed that the activity concentration values for 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were compatible with the waste analysis results in the literature. In this study, many parameters indicating radiological hazards have been calculated. In this study, the radiological risk assessment parameters for samples taken from the boron waste storage site were determined and compared with the world average values. The results obtained from the analyses showed that the best waste value belonged to sample A6 from the Kirka deposit in Turkey. In addition, due to environmental effects and the presence of other wastes (A11), the radiological hazard level was high in waste from the Emet deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]