Studies on radionuclides around Hemavathi river basin of Karnataka, India.

The activity concentration and total annual effective dose of the terrestrial naturally occurring radionuclides (232Th, 226Ra and 40K) were measured in soil and rock samples collected from various locations of Hemavathi river basin in Karnataka, using HPGe detector. The results revealed that activity concentration of radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the soil had geometrical mean values of 16.7 ± 0.6, 33.9 ± 1.2 and 359.9 ± 9.2 Bq kg-1, respectively. In rock samples activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K had geometrical mean values of 20.2 ± 0.7, 18.0 ± 0.9 and 276 ± 9.6 Bq kg-1, respectively. The external Hazard index and indoor hazard index were found to be within safety limits prescribed by European commission 1999 report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]