Radiological impacts of natural radioactivity from soil in Montenegro

Abstract

Soil samples from Montenegro were analysed by the HPGe detector with 40 % of relative efficiency, for radioactivity due to (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K. The average activity concentrations have been found to be 39.9, 43.5 and 437.6 Bq kg(-1), respectively, i.e. in accordance with those in the other South European countries. In order to evaluate the health hazard, radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose rate, external hazard index, annual gonadal dose equivalent and excess lifetime cancer risk (CR) have been calculated. The excess lifetime CR (× 10(-3)) had a range from 0.12 to 0.79, with an arithmetic mean of 0.27, which is in accordance with the global average. Mean gonadal dose equivalent was higher than the world average, and one location was found with the radium equivalent activity >370 Bq kg(-1), i.e. with the external hazard index higher than unity, which means the radiation hazard is not negligible.

Evaluation of Radioactivity in Montenegro Soil Using a Statistical Approach

“…(1) the external hazard index (with unity as upper level; corresponding to the upper limit of radium equivalent activity) Hex = Ac( 226 Ra)/370+Ac( 232 Th)/259+Ac( 40 K)/4810, (2) the internal hazard index (hazardous internal exposure to radon and its short-lived daughters) Hin = Ac( 226 Ra)/185+Ac( 232 Th)/259+Ac( 40 K)/4810, (3) which should also be less than unity for the radiation risk to be negligible.…”

“…Montenegro is a Balkan country with a territory of 13 812 km 2 and a population of around 620 000 according to the Census in 2011 1. A geographical distribution of the municipalities in Montenegro is:…”