Spatial and seasonal variation of radionuclides in soils and waters near a coal-fired power plant of Northern Greece. Environmental dose assessment

The determination of the radionuclides of U- and Th-series as well as of ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs in soils and waters in a lignite mining area was performed. The measurements in the soils were undertaken by γ-ray spectrometry while the concentrations of ²³⁴U and ²³⁸U in waters and the isotopic ratio ²³⁴U/²³⁸U were determined by α-ray spectrometry. Slight seasonal variation of the radioactivity was observed with high values in summer and low in winter. The estimated annual radiation dose from soil was lower than the worldwide average whereas in the case of water only one location showed increment in the internal radiation about 18 % of the worldwide average. (author)