Natural Radioactivity in Groundwater in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

Abstract

This research aims to study the specific activity of natural radioactivity in groundwater samples taken in the area of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, Thailand. Totally, sixty groundwater samples collected from wells in eight districts were monitored and determined for radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K and gross alpha and beta were determined using high resolution gamma spectrometer and Canberra Tennelec Series 5 gas flow proportional counter, respectively. Most of the sixty wells serve for water consumption and some other wells for agricultural. The results showed that the average activity concentrations of the gross alpha and beta were 0.01±0.007 and 0.15±0.02 Bq L-1 and the specific activity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were averagely 0.77±0.13, 1.03±0.19 and 15.56±1.28 Bq L-1, and respectively. The activity concentrations of the gross alpha and beta and the specific activity of the radionuclides in these samples exhibited quite low as compared to the recommended reference level for human consumption reported by World Health Organization (WHO).

Assessment of Background Radioactivity and Related Radioactive Hazard Indices in Glutinous Rice (Oryza sativa var. glu-tinosa)

“…Moreover, the anthropogenic radionuclides ( 137 Cs) arising from human activities such as nuclear bomb experiments, nuclear power plant accidents and causing leakage of radioactive material into nature, etc., would also be mixed and contaminated to all of those mentioned natural samples. At present, international researchers and relevant agencies are interested in the determination of concentrations or specific activities of natural ( 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th) and an-thropogenic ( 137 Cs) radioactive materials in soil, sediment, sand and water around the world [1][2][3][4][5][6]. To evaluate the specific activity values of radioactive substances of such interest, samples of food vegetables such as wheat, rice, local fresh vegetables and fruits etc., were also interested in by some national and international researchers [7][8][9][10][11][12].…”