Radioactivity monitoring in the vicinity of Jawalamukhi thrust NW Himalaya, India for tectonic study

Radon Measurement and Radiological Dose Assessment From Terrestrial Rocks Using Solid-State Nuclear Track Detectors

“…The present investigation reveals that the radon concentration values obtained from the CR-39 and LR-115 detectors are comparable, owing to the energy window of each NTD, as shown in Figure (2). The NTD radon concentration values for CR-39 and LR-115 varied from 0.68±0.02 to 37.75±0.17 kBqm -3 , with an average value of 11.30±0.08 kBqm -3 .…”

“…As for the surface exhalation rate, the result values ranged from 0.30 to 4.54 Bqm -2 h -1 with an average value of 1.36±0.01 Bqm -2 h -1 . The annual effective dose varied from 3.9 to 217.47 mSvy -1 with an average value of 64.92±0.70 mSvy -1 , as shown in Table (2), which is higher than the permitted dose of 20 mSvy -1 recommended by the ICRP and UNSCEAR [21,24]. The work level values ranged from 0.07 to 4.07 with an average value of 1.22±0.03 kBqm -3 .…”

“…The sampling strategy followed the Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority standards and IAEA guidelines for the environmental pollutants. The weight of the samples was restricted to about 400 gm, which is a closely monitored effective volume and geometric closed-can technique, and Figure (2) shows an example for the collected samples. The samples were collected using the closed-can method to quantify radon concentrations and exhalation rates using SSNTDs.…”

“…Internal radiation doses in the human body are derived from inhalation of radioactive gases, particularly radon and thoron gases, and incorporation of multiradionuclides which are the primary routes by which radioactive isotopes enter the human body [1,2]. Because an alpha decay chain of 226 Ra produces 222 Rn in sediment, soil, and rocks, it is gaseous decay in this series as a noble gas, accounting for a portion of the 222 Rn discharged into the atmosphere.…”

“…The distribution of radioactive nuclides is associated with geochemical and geographical aspects of location, with varying magnitudes of the environmental process concerning strike-slip sheared zones, thrusts, folds, attitude/plunge of alienation, major fractures, and orogenic strike-slip faults that occur sequentially as shown in the geological map of Figure (1), as well as ongoing drilling and exploration work at the Sukari gold mine. All of the aforementioned make a noticeable change in the background, which prompted the study to monitor the radioactivity and assess the radiological impact [2,4]. Among the natural radionuclides and different isotopes of radon, the present study is interested in 222 Rn, which decays with a half-life of 3.82 days into many short-lived but highly alpha emitter daughter progenies including 218 Po and 214 Po.…”