Radioactivity of a Rock Profile from Rio do Rasto Formation Measured by High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry

Natural occurring radionuclides are present in different concentrations in sedimentary rocks. Generally, their distribution correlates reasonably with their geo-physicochemical behavior during sediment deposition and rock consolidation. This fact permits to study some geological characteristics of the rocks by analyzing the radionuclide distribution in the rocks, as it might reflect the origin of the sediments, the depositional environment, and more recent events such as weathering and erosion. In this work, rocks from an exposed profile of the Rio do Rasto Formation were collected and analyzed in laboratory by high resolution gamma spectrometry for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K determination. It was employed a standard gamma ray spectrometry electronic chain, with a 66% relative efficiency HPGe detector. The efficiency calibration, as well as its validation, was accomplished with eight International Atomic Energy Agency certified samples. The outcrop exposes layers of sandstone and siltstone and, secondarily, claystone, with varying colors (gray, red and green). The rocks were collected along this profile, each of them was dried in the open air during 48 hours, grounded, sieved through 4 mm mesh and sealed in cylindrical recipients. The 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentrations are presented, their distribution and the possible relations among activities are analyzed. The general pattern of radionuclides distribution respects well the hypotheses on geo-physicochemical behavior of radioactive elements.