Radioactivity concentrations in topsoil samples from the Thrace region of Turkey and assessment of radiological hazard

Abstract

The activity concentrations of gamma emitting radionuclides were measured in surface soil samples from the Thrace region. 232 Th, 238 U, 226 Ra, 40 K and 137 Cs activities and physico-chemical parameters of the soil samples were determined in samples collected from 73 sampling stations. Radionuclide concentrations measured were compared with those found in the samples from other locations of Turkey and from different countries. The average activity concentrations of 232 Th, 238 U, 226 Ra, 40 K and 137 Cs were found to be 24.71 ± 8.79, 22.30 ± 7.93, 32.09 ± 12.44, 509.00 ± 160.05, 32.74 ± 29.24 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The mean value of the annual effective dose equivalent from the outdoor terrestrial gamma radiation was calculated as 57.2 μSv.

Radionuclide determination and radioactivity evaluation of surface soil samples collected along the Erçek Lake basin in eastern Anatolia, Turkey

“…Therefore, the activity concentrations of the natural and artificial radionuclides in soil samples were measured in many studies executed worldwide (UNSCEAR, 2010). Recently, there has been great concern about radiological risks with the external exposure due to the radioactivity in environmental samples in Turkey (Belivermis et al, 2008;Celik et al, 2009;Damla et al, 2010;Kılıç et al, 2008;Kucukomeroglu et al, 2009;Merdanoglu and Altinsoy, 2006;Otansev et al, 2012;Tufan and Bostancı, 2012;Uğur et al, 2012). The purpose of the study is twofold: first to ascertain the background radiation level of Erçek Lake basin measuring the activity concentration of the 238 U, 232 Th, 40 K and 137 Cs in soil samples collected from Erçek Lake basin, about 170 km away from the Metsamor nuclear power plant in Armenia; and second to evaluate the radiological risks associated to these radionuclides by estimating the outdoor gamma-absorbed dose rate (D out ) and the external annual effective dose (E ext ).…”

Distribution of terrestrial and anthropogenic radionuclides in Turkish surface soil samples

“…By this time, different studies were carried out on measuring the activity concentrations of radionuclides ( 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K and 137 Cs) in soil samples collected from some cities in Turkey (Belivermis et al, 2008;Bozkurt et al, 2007;Celik et al, 2008Celik et al, , 2009Damla et al, 2010;Degerlier et al, 2008;Erees et al, 2006;Kam and Bozkurt, 2007;Kam et al, 2010aKam et al, , 2010bKarahan and Bayulken, 2000;Karakelle et al, 2002;Kılıç et al, 2008;Kucukomeroglu et al, 2009;Merdanoglu and Altinsoy, 2006;Osmanlioglu et al, 2007;Sahin and Cavas, 2008;Topçuoğlu et al, 2003;Varinlioğlu and Köse, 2005). However, systematic data on the environmental radioactivity is not available in Turkey.…”

Assessment of 210Po and 210Pb in lichen, moss and soil around Çan coal-fired power plant, Turkey

“…Soil is the main reservoir of contaminants such as metals and radionuclides in the terrestrial environment [11,21,23,24]. Contaminants in the soil can easily pass throughout the food chain and reach the human population.…”

“…Furthermore, they have thinner cuticle layers, and also possess a large surface/volume ratio which allows them to take in nutrients easily together with water from the atmosphere [7,16]. Therefore, moss and lichen species are exposed to pollutants from the atmosphere all through the year [12,18] and have been widely used globally for the biomonitoring of atmospheric contaminants such as heavy metals and radionuclides [15,16,[19][20][21][22].…”