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. 232Th, 238U, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs 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 232Th, 238U, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs were found to be 24.718.79, 22.307.93, 32.0912.44, 509.00160.05, 32.7429.24Bqkg-1, respectively. The mean value of the annual effective dose equivalent from the outdoor terrestrial gamma radiation was calculated as 57.2 Sv.