Assessment of radiological hazard parameters due to natural radioactivity in soils from granite-rich regions in Kutahya Province, Turkey

Abstract

The analysis of natural radioactivity from U-238, Th-232 and K-40 in 357 soil samples collected from the province of Kutahya was carried out using a NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectroscopy system at the Nuclear Physics Research Laboratory, Dumlupnar University, Kutahya, Turkey. The specific activities of U-238, Th-232 and K-40 in the soil samples were evaluated. From the activity concentrations of U-238, Th-232 and K-40, the total absorbed outdoor gamma-ray dose rates and the corresponding annual effective dose rates were determined. The corresponding values of the external and internal hazard indices of all the soil samples were also calculated. The external gamma-ray dose rate at 1 m above the ground was directly measured at each collected soil sample location. The results obtained in this study were compared within the limits of values obtained in other cities of Turkey, those in other countries. Radiological maps of Kutahya Province were constructed from the results of this study.