Direct gamma dose rate measurement and assessment of excess lifetime cancer risk

Abstract

In this study, in some neighborhoods in Kahramanmaraş province of Turkey, indoors and outdoors direct gamma dose rate measurements have been done. All of the gamma dose rate measurements have been made at ground level and at the height of 1 m from the ground. The median values of the gamma dose rates on the ground and 1 m above the ground indoors are 70.34 ± 7.74 and 49.53 ± 5.39 nGy h−1, respectively. Outdoor measurements have been carried out on both soil and asphalt floors. The average values of gamma dose rate on the ground and at a height of 1 m outdoors (soil floor) are 68.16 ± 7.49 and 53.50 ± 5.88 nGy h−1, respectively. The mean values of gamma dose rate on the ground and 1 m above the ground outdoors (asphalt floor) are 61.63 ± 6.77 and 48.69 ± 5.35 nGy h−1, respectively. Indoor and outdoor average gamma dose rates are below the mean world. In addition, using the measured gamma dose rate values, annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) for adults have been calculated. The total AEDE and ELCR (on soil floors and indoors at 1 m above ground level) are 0.31 ± 0.03 mSv y−1 and 1.08 ± 0.10 × 10−3, respectively. The total AEDE and ELCR (on asphalt floors and indoors at 1 m above ground level) are 0.30 ± 0.03 mSv y−1 and 1.06 ± 0.10 × 10−3, respectively. The AEDE and ELCR for adults living in the neighborhoods within the scope of the study in Kahramanmaraş city center within 1 y are lower than the average world.