Radiation dose due to radioactive elements present in soil samples around Mysore city, India

A systematic study of soil samples collected from different locations around Mysore city (12°N and 76°E) has been carried out. The geometric mean of Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent of the region was found to be 0.6 mSv y-1. It has been observed that the dose values estimated for the study area do not exceed the permissible dose vales recommended by the ICRP for public. The measured geometric mean gamma dose rate in air is 85.4 nGy h-1 and absorbed dose rate in air due to naturally occurring radionuclides is estimated to be 92.58 nGy h-1. Radiological hazards indices were found to be lower than the recommended values for the public. The concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples collected around Mysore city are measured using HPGe detector. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K (Bq kg-1) varies from 11.9 to 95.2, 50.2 to 156.2 and 51.1 to 1138.1 Bq kg-1 with GM of 30.9, 61.0 and 374.4 Bq kg-1. The activity concentration is slightly high in K.R.S., Chamundi Hills and Yelwala locations due to the presences of granites, which might contain a small amount of uranium and its daughter products