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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]

Natural and artificial radionuclide concentrations were determined and evaluated in 12 different medicinal plants used in Rize Province of Turkey. The levels of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs were specified in medicinal plants and a germanium detector with high-purity was used for these measurements. Mean activity values of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs in medicinal plants were obtained to be 4.48, 1.83, 259.2 and 0.70 Bq kg‒1, respectively. The obtained values were compared with the values reached in similar studies conducted in different countries. All activity values of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K determined in the present study were found to be lower than the worldwide mean values. In addition, the following radiological parameters were determined in medicinal plants and compared with the recommended limits: radium equivalent activity (Raeq), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), absorbed gamma dose rate (D), exposure rate (ER), gamma representative level index (RLI), annual effective dose (AED), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). Pearson correlation coefficients were determined to assess the correlations between radioactive variables in medicinal plants. The radiological values determined in this study are within the recommended safety limit and the medicinal plants do not pose any significant radiological risk to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All ceramic products used in the construction of buildings contain natural radioisotopes at various rates. These radioisotopes are the main source of outdoor radiation to which people living in houses or workplaces are exposed. Therefore, it is important to determine the radioactivity levels in ceramic products used in buildings. In this study, the natural radioactivity levels (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) in forty ceramic sanitary ware products (17 closets and 23 sinks) of twelve different brands produced in Turkey were determined using a high-purity germanium detector (HPGe). In order to evaluate the radiological hazards originating from natural radionuclides of examined ceramic sanitary ware samples, radium equivalent activity (Raeq), gamma index (Iγ), external hazard index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (D), annual effective dose (AED) and excess life time cancer risk (ELCR) values were also calculated. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K radionuclides in the investigated ceramic sanitary ware products were found as 35.47 ± 2.35, 48.80 ± 2.53, 230.44 ± 10.49 Bq/kg for closet samples and 34.64 ± 2.34, 51.25 ± 2.61, 256.23 ± 10.95 Bq/kg for sink samples, respectively. These values are less than the world average values (50, 50, 500 Bq/kg) except for the average 232Th concentration of sink samples. The average of radiological hazard parameters (Raeq, Iγ, Hex, D, AEDE and ELCR) calculated for all ceramic sanitary ware samples were found lower than the limit values recommended by international organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the natural radioactivity levels were determined for the deep mud samples taken from Van Lake. 226Ra, 232Th and 40K natural radionuclides concentration analysis were performed using high-purity germanium detector and relevant radiological hazard parameters were also appraised. Furthermore, the concentrations of heavy metals were measured using ICP–OES device. While the average 226Ra, 232Th activity concentrations were higher than the world average values, the average 40K concentration was lower than the world average. The average metal concentrations were found to be higher than the highest effective levels reported in national and international quality guidelines (except Cr and Zn). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the levels of the natural and artificial radioactivity in soil samples collected from surrounding of Karaman in Turkey were measured. Activity concentrations of the concerned radionuclides were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using a high-purity germanium detector with a relative efficiency of 40 % at 1.332 MeV. The results obtained for the 238U series (226Ra, 214Pb and 214Bi), 232Th series (228Ac), 40K and fission product 137Cs are discussed. To evaluate the radiological hazard of radioactivity in samples, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (D), the annual effective dose and the external (Hex) and internal hazard index (Hin) were calculated and presented in comparison with the data collected from different areas in the world and Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Luminescence dating is a chronological method that has been used extensively in terrestrial materials. In this study, we present Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) dating results obtained for sediment and pottery samples taken from Yeni Rabat Church, Ardanuç, Artvin, Turkey. For this purpose, equivalent dose (ED) and annual dose rate (AD) of samples were measured. For annual dose rate, concentrations of radioactive isotopes (U, Th, K) were determined by using a high-purity germanium detector. For the equivalent dose, polymineral fine grain SAR (Single Aliquot Regenerative Dose) and MAAD (Multiple Aliquot Additive Dose) procedures were used. The optimal preheat temperature was determined for sediment and pottery samples. Ages were calculated by Aitken''s luminescence age calculation method, which found 710±190 years for the pottery sample and 1450±370 years, 1390±420 years, 1430±310 years, 2210±520 years and 1640±390 years for different sediment samples, respectively. These estimated age ranges support the theory that Yeni Rabat Church could have been constructed in medieval times. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]