Natural radioactivity and dose assessment due to soil around upcoming BARC site, Visakhapatnam

In the present study, the concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K are measured in soil samples collected from different locations around upcoming BARC site at Visakhapatnam using HPGe gamma ray spectrometry. The average activity concentration of the naturally occurring radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K in the soil samples are 33 Bq/kg, 203 Bq/kg and 497 Bq/kg. The radium equivalent activity, exposure rate and hazard indices are also calculated for the assessment of radiological impact. The concentration of radionuclides depends upon the rock formation and chemical properties within the earth. The concentration of ²²⁶Ra ,⁴⁰K in the collected samples is comparable with the world average concentrations of 33Bq/kg, 420 Bq/kg and ²³²Th is higher than the world average 45 Bq/kg. This study is important to generate a baseline data for radiological mapping of the study area in the future. (author)