DETERMINATION OF LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVITY AND EVALUATION OF RADIATION HAZARDOUS NATURE OF THE RECENTLY EXCAVATED RIVER SEDIMENTS - Carpathian Journal of Earth And Environmental Sciences

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Venkidasamy RAMASAMY^1*, Pachamuthu RAJKUMAR², Govindasamy SURESH³, Venkatasubramanian MEENAKSHISUNDARAM⁴, & Velladurai PONNUSAMY⁵
¹ Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu, India
² Department of Physics, Pavai Engineering College, Pachal, Namakkal, Tamilnadu, India
³ Department of Physics, Thiruvalluvar College of Engineering and Technology, Vandavasi, Tamilnadu, India
⁴ Health and Safety Division, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu, India.
⁵Department of Physics, MIT Campus, Anna University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
^* Corresponding author E-mail: srsaranram@rediffmail.com

DETERMINATION OF LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVITY AND EVALUATION OF RADIATION HAZARDOUS NATURE OF THE RECENTLY EXCAVATED RIVER SEDIMENTS

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Abstract: Gamma radiation measurements were performed using high resolution HpGe detector for sediment (sand) samples collected from various sites of Vellar River, Tamilnadu. The concentration and distribution of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were investigated with an aim of an evaluating radiation hazards to mankind, when it is used for building construction. The mean activity concentration values for ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were found to be 15.14±1.75 Bqkg^-1, 29.76±4.49 Bqkg^-1 and 135.05±16.03 Bqkg^-1 respectively. These values are fall within range of typical world values. To assess the radiological hazards of river sediments, the absorbed and observed dose rate, annual effective dose (outdoor and indoor) equivalence, radium equivalence (Ra_eq), radiation heat production (RHP) rate, hazard indices (H_ex and H_in) and gamma index are calculated. The radiological hazard indices are below the internationally recommended values. Thus, sediments of Vellar River do not pose a significant radiological threat to the population when it is used for construction of buildings.

Keyword: Radioactivity, River sediments, Radiological hazard indices, HpGe detector, radionuclides