Measurement of radioactivity in an elevated radiation background area of Western Ghats

Abstract

As part of monitoring the exposure of the general public to natural radioactivity, the activity concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil samples in an elevated radiation background area of Western Ghats was determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. Average values of the activity concentration of radionuclides, outdoor terrestrial gamma dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent and radiation hazard indices from soil activity were estimated. The activity concentrations of 232Th and average outdoor terrestrial gamma dose rate were found to be higher than the world average, possibly affecting the Western Ghats environment in general. Therefore, radiological risks to the general population from ionizing radiation from the naturally occurring radionuclides in the soil are considered to be significant. How- ever, other radiological hazard indices were found to be within permissible limits.

Keywords

• naturally occurring radionuclide
• Western Ghats
• monazite
• radiological hazard