Measurements of natural radioactivity and hazard indices of sediment samples of Periyakalapet to Parangipettai along the East Coast of Tamilnadu using gamma ray spectrometric analysis

The concentration of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in sediment samples collected from Periyakalapet to Parangipettai along the east coast of Tamilnadu, India was measured using γ-spectrometry. The average activity concentrations of the corresponding nuclides were 30.81 Bqkg^-1 for ²³⁸U, 85.64 Bqkg^-1 for ²³²Th and 425.72 Bqkg^-1 for 40K. The average activity concentration of ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K are slightly higher than world average value. The radiation hazards such as radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq) and external hazard index (H_ex) associated with the radionuclides were calculated. The results indicate no radiological anomaly. The data presented here will serve as a baseline survey for primordial radionuclide concentrations in sediments of the area and also it can be helpful in future epidemiological studies. (author)