Comprehensive study on evaluation of shielding parameters of selected soils by gamma and X-rays transmission in the range 13.94–88.04 keV using WinXCom and FFAST programs

Shielding parameter of eight (A–H) selected soil samples collected from different sites in Bingöl city and Genç district, Turkey have been comprehensively measured with fifteen different photon energies in the energy range from 13.94 keV to 88.04 keV. The soil samples were irradiated with 100 mCi 241Am, 10 mCi 133Ba and 40 mCi 109Cd radioactive point source using transmission geometry arrangement. The results were compared with those obtained by WinXCom and FFAST programs. The experimental results were found to be very close to both WinXCom and FFAST results. In addition, the effective atomic number, effective electron density, radiation protection efficiency and exposure buildup factor were determined using the obtained mass attenuation coefficients and standard formula. The results showed that the mass attenuation coefficients, as well as the effective atomic number of soil A and soil G, are relatively higher than those of other soils, which signify that both soils A and G provide superior shielding from gamma and X-rays. Keywords: Transmission geometry, Soil, Shielding parameters, Mass attenuation coefficient, Exposure buildup factor