Gamma radioactivity and Environmental radiation risks of Granitoids in Central and Western Gilgit-Baltistan, Himalayas, North Pakistan

Abstract

The study analyzed the gamma radioactivity levels due to radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) by the Gamma-Ray spectrometry method and calculated health hazards in rocks in Central and Western Gilgit-Baltistan, North Pakistan. The results of average activity concentrations of collected rock samples were 714.82 Bq kg−1 for 40K, 44.47 Bq kg−1 for 232Th, and 56.21 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, respectively. The values of Indoor Excessive Lifetime Cancer Risk ELCR (in) in the samples are much greater than the permissible limit of 1.19 × 10−3. The values are also higher than safe limits for building materials (0.31 × 10−3) for seven samples. According to statistical analysis, the calculation shows the correlation coefficient value higher than the safe limit. Between 226Ra and 232Th correlation coefficient value is (0.92) and 40K and 226Ra correlation coefficient value (0.97) seemed to be positively high value. For Pearson’s correlation p 0.05. For Absorbed Dose (D), Effective dose (H), Annual Equivalent dose (E), And most important lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) R2 = 0.99 which shows a strong correlation between them. We have concluded that areas, where these rocks are exposed on a large scale, are not suitable for living. The diorite, granite, leucogranite, pegmatite, amphibolite, and gneiss are highly radioactive and should not be used as a building material..

Keywords

• Building Materials: Granitoids
• HPGe Gamma Spectrometer
• Radiological Health Hazards
• Statistical Analysis
• Gilgit-Baltistan