Measurements of natural radioactivity in soil samples collected in the Kampinoski National Park

Abstract

In this article are presented the results of measurements of natural radioactivity in twelve soil samples from the Kampinoski National Park by using high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The average values of the natural radionuclides 40 K, 226 Ra and 228 Ac concentrations in the soil samples are 8.54, 6.65 and 206 Bq/kg respectively. Additionally radiation hazard indices were calculated to evaluate the radiological risk for the public and environment. The results show that the mean values of radium equivalent activity (Raeq) and gamma absorbed dose rate (D) in the air, outdoor annual effective dose equivalent (Eout), and representative level index (Iγ) for analyzed samples were lower than the limit recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). This study is the first to evaluate the radiological impacts in the investigation area.

Radiological assessment of radionuclide contents in soils in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in the years 1988-2014

“…The samples taken in this way were first dried at room temperature and then for 16 hours in an oven at 105°C. Once dried, the samples were crushed and poured into measurement vials of a Marinella type (Vsamples = 0.45 dm 3 ).…”

“…The natural environment has been contaminated by artificial isotopes as a result of nuclear explosions tests in the atmosphere in the sixties, and the failure of nuclear reactors such as: Chernobyl disaster (1986, former USSR), Windscale (1957, United Kingdom) and Fukushima (2011, Japan) or the explosion in the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Kyshtym (1979, former USSR). They caused the release of significant amounts of radioactive substances into the atmosphere, especially cesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs), strontium ( 90 Sr) and iodine ( 131 I and 133 I) [3]. Radioactive isotopes from the air were deposited in the surface soils of the Earth through precipitations and are still present there due to their relatively long half-life.…”